Take it to the MAXimum level
by Luvin-Gabriel
Summary: Manticore has created the ultimate transgenic to use against Max, Alec and her brothers and sisters. By using their DNA against them. So when a powerful transgenic is coming after them with all their powers combined can they win? Or Fail?
1. Default Chapter

AUTHOR'S NOTE- Hey people this is my 2nd fanfic and most of u probably have read my 1st one, "he's everywhere." well i wanna say that this fanfic has no relation to "he's everywhere" it's not a sequel. i am very proud of "He's Everywhere and i hope that you remember it. i am known all over the internet for it and it makes me proud. hopefully this one might fill it;s shoes. don't forget to review!!!! no reviews, no more updating! thanks and enjoy the story!  
  
Without further delaying, here's "Take it to the MAXimum level"  
  
****carpe diem****  
  
Zack peered around the side of a building, glaring into nothing. He then started running into the road. Running through puddles, sending water splashing everywhere as his heavy foot smacked into them. He ran as fast as he could, his black leather jacket sticking close to his upper body. He could feel water against his legs, as he ran the water splashed on his jeans, but that didn't matter. He then took cover against another building. He looked in every direction before peering around the corner. He saw the building the Crash, the place that Max introduced him too. He then saw Max walking out with a drunk Sketchy who said goodbye and stumbled on down the road. She was walking his way.   
  
He watched her pass him then ran up and grabbed her mouth and her waist. Max shrieked against his hand and tried to break loose but Zack was a lot stronger and just pulled her closer into his chest before dragging her backwards. Soon once Zack thought they were both safe he let a stuggling Max go. Max threw her arm behind her in attempt to punch him. Already knowing she was gonna do that he caught her wrist. Max then spun around expecting Ames to be there. Her eyes softened as she saw her oldest brother standing in front of her.   
  
"Zack." she said breathlessly but happily as she collapsed into his arms.  
  
Zack wrapped his arms around her, rubbing her back, thanking God that she was ok. She let go and looked at him.   
  
"What?" she asked. Zack looked at her confused.   
  
"What?" Zack asked her. Max grinned.   
  
"Zack, you never come back to Seattle unless something was up, now what?" Max asked.   
  
Zack smiled as well and touched her cheek.   
  
"Well I just wanted to see how you are." Zack said.   
  
"Really?" she asked believing him.   
  
Zack's smile faded and he dropped his hand.   
  
"But not this time." he added.   
  
Max dropped her mouth and playfully smacked him in the arm, as Zack was laughing. The two then started walking and Zack put his arm around her neck.   
  
"Ah I'm just playing little sister, but there is something that was been up." Zack replied.   
  
"What?" she asked.   
  
"The past 3 months I have been literally running for my life. I mean we have always been doing that, but this time, every second he's there. Lydecker. And once they took be back." he answered.   
  
Max stopped and looked at him.   
  
"Are you ok?" she asked.   
  
"Yes, but then again no. Max, something bad is going to happen, something REALLY bad." Zack explained.   
  
Max looked at him a little scared.   
  
"What is it?" she asked.   
  
Zack looked staright into her eyes.   
  
"They're coming after us Maxie. After us 12. They are creating this......thing." Zack tried to explian hestitating.   
  
"What thing!?" Max demanded getting very scared.   
  
"This transgenic, but no ordinary one, it has mixed portions of our DNA, the DNA of us 12, in it. I couldn't spy a lot on it or get too much information on it because I was concentrating on getting out of there, but all I do know is that it has my ability of fightening extra well and my strength." Zack began.   
  
Max rolled her eyes, great she knew she was screwed, she could never take Zack down.   
  
"Your ability to see like a cat in the dark and it doesn't need to sleep." Zack added.   
  
Max shivered, that was bad news because this thing wouldn't need to sleep which ment more hours to chase them and unlike her, most needed sleep.   
  
"And he is able to recover fastly like Zan, for example if you shot at him, his wound would recover within 5 minutes tops." Zack ended.   
  
He saw the fear in her eyes.   
  
"Zack, this isn't good." she said quietly.   
  
"No Maxie, it's not at all." he agreed.   
  
"Come on we have to go to Logan's now and tell him." she said grabbing his hand and started running but stopped once she realized he wasn't going anywhere.   
  
"What?" she asked.   
  
Zack got close to her and touched her face.   
  
"Promise me, you won't leave my side, no matter what Maxie, if anything happened to you, if they got you, I would never forgive myself. NEVER, so we never seperate ok baby sister?" he asked sadly.   
  
Max shook her head yes then huged him tightly.   
  
"Let's go." she relplied.   
  
Zack nodded and followed her running in the darkness. 


	2. Fear

AUTHOR'S NOTE---- HEY GUYS 2ND CHAPTER UP, HOPE YOU LIKE IT AND THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING:) YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE, THANX A LOT:) OK LET'S GO TO THE 2ND CHAPTER. AND LET ME JUST SAY THAT THIS STORY IS GOING TO BE VERY ACTION PACKED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANX!! AND ENJOY TH CHAPTER, I'LL UPDATE AGAIN EITHER TONIGHT OR LATER!  
  
*********CARPE DIEM*********  
  
Max leaned up against a table as she watched Logan pound on his keyboard. Images flew through her head, making her shiver.   
  
"You ok?" Logan asked not taking his eyes off his computer screen.   
  
"I'm fine." Max lied.   
  
Logan then turned around, facing her.   
  
"I don't believe you." Logan admitted.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Ask a stupid question you get a stupid answer. Logan of course, I don't know how to stop this thing. It's coming to take me and brothers and sisters back there, do you honestly think I would be ok?" She asked him.   
  
Suddenly Zack walked through the door, with Alec and Cindy following behind him.   
  
"Found him at crash, Cindy insisted to come along." Zack explained.   
  
Logan smiled at her then turned around to face his computer once again.   
  
"This better be good Max, or I'll have to kick you pretty little ass." Alec said sitting on a table, not happy to be there.   
  
Max knew Zack was about ready to go over and do something so she placed a hand on Zack's chest, telling him to ignore him.   
  
"Everything ok boo?" OC asked.   
  
Max looked at her sadly and shook her head no. Alec's smile then faded, realizing this was somthing VERY serious.   
  
"What is it Max?" Alec asked.   
  
"A superpowered transgenic is coming after me and my brothers and sisters, ok?" Max replied tears forming in her eyes.  
  
Cindy looked at her shocked and Alec did as well,his mouth dropping.   
  
"It doesn't need to rest or sleep, can heal itself within minutes and fights like Zack, and we have no way to stop it." she admitted then shoved her face into Zack's chest crying.   
  
Zack wrapped his arms around the girl and looked over at Cindy and Alec, helplessly. Max tried hard to stop crying but she couldn't. She could smell Zack's cologne and it made her feel safe but not better. Logan then walked in seeing everyone's depressed face.   
  
"Got some bad news, the thing kicked me off but I managed to get this piece of information, it's part red soldier." Logan said quietly.   
  
Max lifted her head off of Zack's chest and looked at Logan alarmed. Alec watched Max sit down slowly and covering ehr face with her hands.   
  
"Am I the only one that doesn't know what a red solider is?" Alec asked aloud.   
  
Logan looked away from Max and at him.   
  
"A red solider is like a trasngenic, a series of it. It is the strongest thing ever invented, no human, transgenic, or even familiar can beat it. It feels no pain, but their bodies take a toll. Normally they last from 6 months to 1 year. But considering that they placed the nail in a trasngenic and transgenic bodies are faster than human bodies, they only have 1 month to live." Logan replied.   
  
Alec looked at Zack then at Cindy.   
  
"Dude, thats some scary crap! And they aren't even coming for me." Alec admitted.   
  
Alec then got up and walked over to Max, hugging her.   
  
"Max, I'm sorry, I'll help you any way that I can." Alec said.   
  
Zack looked at Alec then grinned.   
  
"Your just like Ben, besides the serial killing part." Zack admitted.   
  
Alec grinned.   
  
"Thanks." he answered.   
  
Zack then sat down beside her and put his arm around her soliders.   
  
"Don't worry Maxie, everything will be fine." Zack said.   
  
Max laid her head on his shoulder, not crying anymore but still just as afraid. Zack looked into Alec's eyes and Alec could tell that Zack knew this might be the end of the freedom line for all of them.  
  
Ames and Lydecker stood side by side in front of a window. Looking upon their creation. He looked exactly like Zack except the hair which was spiked up and the tips of the spikes were black. The Zack look alike had a mean look on his face as he stood there, blue jeans, boots, beige shirt and his black leather jacket on.   
  
"Excellent creation Ames." Lydecker admitted.   
  
Ames smiled.   
  
"This will do the trick, he'll get all of them inclusing 452." Ames said happily.   
  
"Good, because if we are planning to rebuild Manticore, we need the best, and the 12 best escaped that night." Lydecker said.   
  
"Oh believe me, none of them will be able to defeat him, but he's got 2 weeks left of his life span." Ames acknowledged.   
  
"Send him out in the morning. And let him bring my kids home." Lydecker said eerily. 


	3. a Long day

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HEY GUYS! NEXT CHAPTER! HOPE YOU LIKE B/C I KNOW I AM LIKING WHERE THIS IS GOING. PLEASE IGNORE THE TYPOS AND SPELLING ERROR, OK, IT'S 12:05 AM AND I AM EXHAUSTED AND I JUST DON'T WANT TO GO OVER IT AGAIN. THANK YOU SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO MUCH FOR THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE REVIEWED SO FAR, IT MEANS A LOT TO ME, SERIOUSLY;) THIS CHAPTER IS LONG SO ENOJY GUYS!  
  
*******CARPE DIEM*******  
  
NATASHA  
  
Max opened her eyes slightly, the sun shining through Logan's window making her squint. Soon something blocked the light. She smiled.   
  
"Morning sis." Zack said shaking her hard, trying to get her awake.   
  
She giggled and sat up as Zack got up and walked over to the window.   
  
"Whoa, look at the time, I have to get to work!" Max said jumping up and running into the bathroom.   
  
Zack ran after her.   
  
"Max, you can't possible think about going to work, after what's happening!?" Zack shouted over the running water.   
  
"Why not? Zack I need the money ok. Plus, it's work, what could happen at work?" Max answered then opened the door, dressed in different cloths and her dark hair wet.   
  
"You never know Maxie. Let me go with you." Zack said.   
  
"Zack, it's just work, how bout you pick me up for lunch, ok? Don't worry." she said smiling up at him.   
  
He looked uneasy at her.   
  
"I don't like this, but ok." Zack gave in.   
  
Max smiled wider and hugged him.   
  
"Pick me up at 12:30" she answered then ran out the door.   
  
Max undid her lock as she shoved her backpack in. Alec walked up to the locker beside her and banged his shoulder into it, looking at her. Max glanced at him, gave him a look and took out a thing of pills.   
  
"Suprised to see you here." Alec answered.   
  
Max poured 3 into her mouth and swallowed them then pushed her back against the lockers, closing her eyes waiting for the small siezure to go away.   
  
"Why?" she asked not looking at him.   
  
Alec watched her shake a little then soon stop.   
  
"Because how scared you are, paranoid I just didn't think you would show today." he answered.   
  
"Well I did." she answered shoving the pills back into her backpack.   
  
"What did Zack think of it?" he asked.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Why do you care?" she asked getting mean.   
  
"Just wondering what your big brother thought about it." he said in a mocking voice.   
  
"Don't. Don't even mock him. He's been through more than you'll ever go through." she warned.   
  
"Please Max, he's not the one that has been in Psyops!" Alec pleaded.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Like I said he's been through a whole lot more than you ever will go through." she snapped at him then slammed her locker and locked it and began to walk off.   
  
"Has he been there Max?" Alec asked, wanting to hear her say no.   
  
Max stopped and turned around.   
  
"More times than you have been." she replied then turned back around, grabbed a package and left.   
  
Max rode her bicycle down the street, next to Original Cindy.   
  
"How ya feelin' today boo?" OC asked.   
  
"Better than last night, but 100 times more paranoid." she answered.   
  
"I bet." Cindy agreed.   
  
"So what you and Zack gonna do bout this thing?" Cindy asked.   
  
Max stopped her bike, Original Cindy stopped hers as well as she saw Max look at her sadly.   
  
"We have no clue." she answered.   
  
Then turned around and knocked on the door. Cindy watched the 2 exchange the package, signed for it, and she walked back over climbing on her bike.   
  
"It cool sugar, you and your brothers and sister gonna be just fine." Cindy replied as they started off again.   
  
"No offense girl, but I seriously don't believe you." she answered as they stopped at a coffee shop.   
  
The 2 girls got some coffee and sat down at a small table near the window.   
  
"So you gonna tell the others that they're doomed?" Cinday asked her.   
  
"I think Zack is taking care of that, actually he has too, he's the only one that has any contact with any of them." she answered.   
  
"You know I got a things to help ya with. If you ever need a place to hide or anything just come to Original Cindy." she responded.   
  
Max shook her head no.   
  
"Cindy, no, I think that it would be the smartest thing if you stayed away from me. I'm gonna bring trouble, I always am, and with this thing coming after me and Zack, then you should just try and get away from me." Max said sadly.   
  
Oc shook her head no.   
  
"Boo, if I wanted to be safe, and out of this government's way, I woulda stopped hangin' out with you from the very beginning. Max, I got nothing to live for so why not go and guard my girl until the very end? I'm here for ya Max." she answered.   
  
Max forced herself to smile and then she hugged her over the table.   
  
"Thanks Cindy." she said to her hugging her tighter.   
  
Sketchy ran up to Max.   
  
"Yo Max, going to go to lunch with me and Alec and Cindy?" he asked her.   
  
"Um, no thanks I got plans with my brother for lunch. But maybe tommarrow." Max answer shutting her locker and walking out.   
  
"Ok, see ya Max!" Sketchy yelled at her.   
  
Max rolled her eyes and grinned to herself as she walked out in front of the building. Max looked both left and right for Zack. Soon he showed up.   
  
"Hey bro, where are we goin'?" Max asked smiling.   
  
Zack grinned and walked down the street with her.   
  
"Anywhere." he answered.   
  
"Come on I think I know somewhere." she said leading him down to a small cafe shop.   
  
The 2 ordered and sat down at a booth.   
  
"So, Zack, did you tell the others? About this transgenic?" Max asked.   
  
Zack looked up at her.   
  
"Yea even though I probably shouldn't. I called most. Jondy, Tinga, and Krit are coming tonight. The others will keep an eye out. Max, you know that they shouldn't be coming to us. We're putting ourselves in a dangerous position." Zack replied.   
  
"I know, but they want to be with us Zack, what are you gonna do turn them away? They want to be here because they are scared. Besides maybe if we go after this thing with more transgenics, we might be able to stop it." Max explained.   
  
"I could turn them away, if i were that heartless. I understand that they want to be with us which is exactly why I am allowing it. Maybe your right Maxie, maybe there is a way to stop it, then again, maybe there is no way." Zack said softly.   
  
"There has to be someway." she responded.   
  
The 2 talked and ate and before Max knew it, she had to head back to work. She said goodbye to Zack after he walked her back, and continued to her 'hard day's work'.  
  
Alec followed Max over to Logan's after work. Alec gave up on going to Crash and having a life, and Max made sure. Which he couldn't blame her, the issue at hand was very crazy and he needed to start being more careful and more......mature. Once arriving at Logans building the 2 walked into the elevator and waited til their floor came.   
  
"Max." Alec started, breaking the silence they had ever since they left Jampony.   
  
"I apologize for anything I did to make you mad, and I think it's important for both of us to work out any conflicts we have between us, considering. we need to be able to work together, to talk to each other and to trust each other and I am willing to take that responsibility." Alec added.   
  
Max looked at him wierdly.   
  
"1- ok yes i am willing to forget everything in the past and trust you, 2- you scared me." she said smiling as the bell rung and the doors open, Max walking out immediatly.   
  
The 2 walked down the hall and opened the door to Logan's apartment.   
  
"Hey Logan." she greeted him as he walked around in the kitchen, fixing dinner probably.   
  
"Hey Max, how was your day?" he asked.   
  
"Ok, hey I just wanna thank you for doing this, allowing the transgenic freak show crash at your place for a while." Max told him.   
  
Logan grinned.   
  
"You guys aren't freaks and it's no problem. I am very happy to help you out and your brothers and sisters." Logan answered.   
  
Max looked around and sat on the table a little. Logan looked at her.   
  
"Like I told Cindy though Logan, I really think that you should stay away from us. We'll stay here a couple days but Logan, we're a threat to your safety." Max said.   
  
Logan grinned.   
  
"And Cindy probably said yeah right, no way." Logan guessed.   
  
"How you figure?" Max asked him.   
  
"Because that's what I am saying. I am with you on this one Max." Logan answered as he stirred a pot of sauce.   
  
"Logan if we are getting hauled off to Manticore I don't want them to kill you or worse take you with us." Max said helplessly.   
  
Logan smiled a little.   
  
"I don't think thats your decision Max, I am staying here with all of you." Logan said.   
  
Max smiled a little.   
  
"Thank you." she answered.   
  
"Your welcome." he responded.   
  
Suddenly the door bell rung. Zack glanced over at Max alerted, as did Alec. Max looked at them then slowly looked up at the door and walked up to it. She took a breath and yanked the door open.   
  
"Krit!" Zack shouted alarmed.   
  
Max saw Krit fall to the ground as Zack ran up to him and picked him up. Max shut the door and locked it before running up to her brother.   
  
"Krit are you hurt?" Zack asked looking him over.   
  
Krit shook his hear no.   
  
"No, just exhausted." he answered breathlessly.   
  
Logan walked up as Alec was leaning over Zack's shoulder who was on his knees on the floor beside him, as was Max. Krit looked at Alec.   
  
"Ben?" he asked breathing hard.   
  
"Clone." Alec answered back.   
  
"That's Alec." Max informed him.   
  
'What happened?" Zack asked.   
  
Krit gripped Zacks bicep and Max's collar.   
  
"I saw him. I saw him take them away." he answered.   
  
"Who, take who away?!" Zack said raising his voice.   
  
"Syl and Zane." he answered, knowing not to make Zack mad.   
  
Max looked at Zack, as did Alec, Logan and Krit.   
  
"He's started. The game is on." Zack told them. 


	4. First impressions

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HEY GUYS, NEXT CHAPTER IS UP!!!!!!!!!!!!! I HOPE YOU GUYS LIKE IT AND I WANNA THANK, BO,MEL, MESSYMISSY,JASMINE, AND ROSWELL-X5-LIZ FOR REVIEWING, I LOVE ALL REVIEWS, THE GOOD ONES BETTER THAN THE BAD;) I HOPE THIS CHAPTER IS EXCITING AND BY THE WAY, ROSWELL-X5-LIZ , I AM A HUGE ROSWELL FAN AND I HAVE A FAN FIC THERE THAT YOU MIGHT WANNA CHECK OUT CALL, "TAKE IT TO THE MAX" YES I KNOW SIMILAR TITLE TO THIS ONE BUT LOVE THAT EXPRESSION WHEN PPL THAT ARE NAMED MAX INVOLVED! CHECK IT OUT! ROSWELL RULES!!!!!!!!!!! BUT YET SO DOES DARK ANGEL!!!!!!!! HECK, TVSHOWS RULES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:) Enjoy,  
  
*****CARPE DIEM*****  
  
-NATASHA-  
  
Max sat next to Krit on the couch. Max looked over her older brother, he was silent and sipping on his coffee that Logan had gave him. Max sighed to herself then looked over at Zack. He paced stressfully back and forth in front of Logan's windows.   
  
"So, you saw it?" Max asked his softly.   
  
"Yea Max, it didn't see me, god thing too or else I wouldn't be here right now. He looks exactly like Zack, except the thing's hair is different." he answered her.   
  
"What happens if we can't tell the difference between it and Zack?" Max asked a little scared.   
  
"Oh believe me Maxie, you'll know, you'll be able to tell." Krit responded.   
  
"What gets me is……why Zack? Why would Lydecker and Ames focus on giving this beast Zack's appearance?" Alec asked them.   
  
"Could be a number of reasons." Max acknowledged.   
  
"He's the oldest out of us 12." Krit said.   
  
"I was their CO." Zack added still pacing.   
  
"He knows how close we all are to Zack and thought it would be funny to use that against us." Max also added.   
  
"Or they used greater portions of Zack's DNA because he was the top of the X5 group and it just happened to look like him because the large amount of DNA that they poured into this creation." Logan said.   
  
Alec looked around.   
  
"Ok, I'll take any of those." Alec replied leaning into one of Logan's chairs.   
  
"Well I made dinner in case anyone is hungry." Logan said changing the subject.   
  
Soon the doorbell rang again, Max again answered it. Jondy looked at Max, tears instantly coming to her blue eyes.   
  
"Max, is that you?" Jondy asked.   
  
Max studied her and smiled.   
  
"Jondy." she said happily collapsing into her arms.   
  
Her blondish brown hair was to her shoulders and like all the others she was dressed in mainly black.   
  
"Max, your so beautiful, I thought you were dead." she said crying. Max smiled and she lead her in.   
  
"Jondy!" Zack and Krit said happily jumping up and running to her.   
  
Max let Krit hug her tightly then Zack. Jondy laughed looking at them.   
  
"Jondy, this is Ben's clone, Alec and our lifeline, Logan Cale." Max introduced them.   
  
Jondy smiled and hugged Alec and then did the same to Logan.   
  
"So anyone else coming here?" Jondy asked Zack.   
  
"Tinga, that's all." he answered.   
  
Jondy shook her head and looked at Max and smiled.   
  
"So, you've been in Seattle all this time and still haven't gotten caught?" she asked amazed.   
  
"Well once but Zack went down with me. But other than that no, Lydecker and this new guy, Ames White are really stupid." she said.   
  
"And I had a lot f help from my friends." she added looking over at Alec and Logan who smiled back.   
  
Krit looked up at Zack.   
  
"So, what do we do?" he asked.   
  
"We'll wait until Tinga gets here, then we'll discuss this." Zack replied.   
  
"Good plan. Now Logan, you said you had dinner?" Max replied smiling as she walked into the kitchen.   
  
Logan smiled as well.   
  
"Yea bud thanks." Alec said following Max.   
  
Logan looked at the others.   
  
"If any of you are hungry, please by all means help yourself, I've got plenty." Logan said.   
  
All of them stood up and walked into the kitchen.   
  
All of them sat in Logan's living room, all full.   
  
"Logan, I think you killed us." Alec said.   
  
"Yea Logan that was great." Jondy answered.   
  
Logan picked up the last plates.   
  
"Thank you." he answered and took them into the kitchen.   
  
A knock came at the door. Zack jumped up and opened it. Tinga walked in.   
  
"Tinga!" Jondy said happily running up to her and hugging her.   
  
Tinga said hello to everyone, giving everyone a big hug including Logan.   
  
"Where's you family?" Zack asked her.   
  
"Back in the place Logan gave s with new identities. I figured that, that was the safest place for them." Tinga answered.   
  
"Good choice." Zack assured her.   
  
Tinga shook her head in agreement and took a seat on the floor next to Max. Krit scooted over on the couch so Zack was sitting next to him, and Jondy on the other side of Zack. Alec sat in a chair and Logan stood near the window.   
  
"So the deal with this transgenic, we gotta move fast, it already took 2 of us away." Zack shared.   
  
"Who?" Tinga said alarmed.   
  
"Sly and Zane." Max answered for him.   
  
"Yes, they are gone, back on their way to Manticore as far as I know, and they almost got Krit." he added.   
  
"He looks EXACTLY like Zack except the hair, it's spiked up like Logan's." Krit explained.   
  
Jondy gave Max a glance of fear.   
  
"So how do we stop it?" Jondy asked him.   
  
Zack exchanged glances with Max.   
  
"We don't know, we don't even know if we can. According to what we've heard, this guy seems pretty tough." Zack admitted.   
  
"So the plan is, stick together and we fight him together not apart, we might have a chance. We go no where without each other and Max and Alec that means no work. We can't risk it." Zack added.   
  
All of them shook their head in understanding.   
  
"Alright, I guess there is nothing else we can do." Krit replied.   
  
"Get some sleep, and we'll decide what to do tomorrow." Zack ordered.   
  
Max leaned against her bed in the guest room. Sleep? Ha, sleep, Max doesn't sleep. Annoyed of sitting still she got up and silently opened the door and creeped down Logan's hallway, towards his kitchen. She was thirsty and she reached the refrigerator , taking out the milk. Suddenly she froze. She hear movement.   
  
Ignoring her thirst she slowly and quietly set the jug of milk on the counter. Then taking light steps she reached the end of the kitchen wall and peered around the edge. She saw the dark room and she focused her eyes on the front door. She saw the door knob jiggling slightly and the sounds of something in the key hole, Max's guess someone trying to pick the lock.   
  
Max then ran across the living room as quietly as she could over to the hall. She ran into Zack's room, immediately hitting her knees and shaking him.   
  
"Zack, Zack, wake up." Max whispered.   
  
Zack's eyes opened widely as he looked at Max.   
  
"Max, what are you-" he stopped by seeing the face on Max.   
  
"What is it?" Zack asked.   
  
"Zack, there is someone trying to break in." she told him.   
  
Zack's eyes widened. Immediately he jumped up.   
  
"Get the others up." he ordered.   
  
Max ran into the other bedrooms, pulling the other's up. They all met in the middle of the hallway.   
  
"Ok, everyone find a place for cover, HURRY!" Zack replied.   
  
Krit dogged behind the couch and Tinga in a closet. Alec shoved his back up against the wall of the kitchen and Logan hid underneath the bar. Jondy jumped up on the ceiling and held herself in place on it. Max took cover behind Logan's large computer desk, sitting on her butt and pulling her knees to her chest. Zack made sure everyone was not visible then dropped on the other side of the couch. Zack then made a hand signal to Krit and Alec. Alec gave a thumbs up and Krit shook his head in understanding. He then looked at Jody and gave a hold position, and she shook her head yes. He moved his finger to Tinga and made a different set of hand motions and then did the same for Max, both nodding their head.   
  
Suddenly a figure walked into the room. Zack then jumped up and punched it in the face. Jondy then jumped down and got him in a head lock. Logan turned on the lights.   
  
"Bling?" Max asked standing up.   
  
Krit stood up as well. Alec peered around the walked out from the wall completely. Jondy looked at him.   
  
"You know this guy Max?" Jondy asked as Tinga walked out from the closet.   
  
"He's my helper around the house." Logan answered standing up.   
  
"Whoa, like a maid?" Krit asked grinning finding it funny.   
  
Jondy let him go.   
  
"I prefer helper." he answered rubbing his jaw.   
  
"Sorry about that. Thought you were someone else." Zack apologized.   
  
"It's ok, now if you excuse me, I am going to go to bed, is it ok if I crash here tonight Logan?" he asked.   
  
"Um, Sure." Logan answered.   
  
Bling smiled.   
  
"Thanks, good night everyone." he said then he walked down the hall and everyone heard a door shut.   
  
Zack breathed a sigh of relief. Suddenly a man jumped though the window, breaking the glass. The all turned their head away and guarded themselves with their hands.   
  
"Looking for me?" a voice asked.   
  
Max's eyes widened as she slowly turned around. The all looked upon the thing. Krit was right he did look like Zack only his blonde hair was spiked up with the ends of it in black. Max shivered as he saw the size of his arms and his fists curl together so hard it turned his knuckles white. It'll hurt if he nails you.   
  
"Seems that I hit the jackpot here. That means I only have 3 more left to find." he said smiling.   
  
"Sorry to break it to you, but none of us are going back." Jondy told him.   
  
He smirked evilly.   
  
"We'll see about that." he answered as he scanned them.   
  
Max then saw his icy blue eyes lock on her.   
  
"You." he said pointing to Max.   
  
Max felt her heart stop and Zack looked at what he was point at.   
  
"Come here girly, there's a couple of people waiting at home for you." he shared.   
  
"I bet they are." she said meanly.   
  
Zack stepped in front of her as did Krit, and Jondy, Alec, and Tinga.   
  
"Leave our baby sister alone you bastard." Tinga hissed at him.   
  
The Zack look alike started laughing hardly.   
  
"Please, try it." he answered.   
  
Tinga lunged at him sending a fist towards his face. The Zack clone dogged it, making Tinga made. He sent a punch to her chest that she blocked then tried to send a kick to her side which she also blocked. Tinga tried to punch him in the face again, but he caught the fist over her head and then spun around and kicked her powerfully in the chest, sending her back into a wall.   
  
Krit ran up to him, sending out his leg, kicking him in the chest. Alec also lunged forward punching him in the side. He didn't even flinch but just picked Krit up and threw him into a wall. Once Krit hit the hall, he made a large hole as he fell to the ground plaster fell on top of him.   
  
Alec did a roundhouse and landed the kick in his face. The transgenic shook it off and punched him hard in the face. Alec groaned as the force of the punch sent him stumbling back and over the couch.   
  
Zack jumped up and grabbed Logan's chandelier , wrapping his legs around the evil thing's neck. Zack let go of the chandelier and used all his strength to bring him crashing to the ground. Zack jumped up quickly as did their clone. Zack flipped over his head and tried to kick him from behind. Expecting this he grabbed Zack's leg and rammed him into the wall then punched him in the face. The force of the punch was so strong that it sent Zack crashing into Logan's computer.   
  
Krit was up and tried to send an elbow into his face. He grabbed it and slammed him into Jondy, both falling to the ground.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Time for me to take you home 452." he said.   
  
"No way, I'm the bomb, so Ka-Boom!" she shouted.   
  
The sent a fist flying at his face. He easily caught it. Determined she sent a leg up in attempt to kick the air out of him. He caught it as well. He then dropped her leg and with his arm, pulled her closer to him, grabbing her hair. 'Zack' pulled her head down and made her head smack off his knee, he came up and did that again. Max let out a noise of pain as he threw her to the ground. He walked towards her and unexpectedly she kicked her leg up hitting him in the chest.   
  
Zack jumped up and tackled him to the ground. The 2 wrestled Zack on top of him. Zack grabbed the thing's throat. He just smiled and punched Zack off of him and jumped to his feet. Zack sent a kick to his feet which he blocked. The transgenic did a spun and threw his leg out hitting Zack in the face.   
  
Max ran up and kicked him in the back, getting his attention and he turned to face the girl. Max jumped up and kicked out her left leg, hitting his face and the kicked her right leg also nailing him in the face before she hit the ground on her feet. He then tried to punch her in the face but she surprisingly block it and then back flipped over his head, placing her hands on his shoulders. She landed and it him in the claves with her foot.   
  
He groaned in anger as he grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up. Max gripped his hands as he face was inches away from the ceiling fan. She looked scared at it as she kicked violently.   
  
"Max!" Zack called.   
  
Alec then tackled him, causing him to drop her. Alec sent a punch to his left cheek. The thing only smiled at him then kicked his leg up, flipping Alec over his head and into a chair. He got up and grabbed Max and threw her through the large glass window.   
  
"Max!" Krit yelled.   
  
Logan then ran up behind the transgenic and jabbed him with a teaser. He shook violently and fell out the window thanks to Zack pushing him. Zack looked over the edge as did all of the others.   
  
"Max! Are you ok!" Krit yelled.   
  
Max hung onto a bar of a balcony a floor under Logan's apartment.   
  
"Pull yourself up Max!" Zack ordered.   
  
Max pulled herself up so she was safely on the balcony underneath Logan's balcony.   
  
"Jump up we'll catch you!" Jondy yelled at her.   
  
Max jumped as high as she could and Jondy caught her wrist. The others helped Jondy pulled Max up.   
  
"Maxie are you ok?" Zack asked touching her face, checking her for injuries.   
  
"I'm fine. Freaked. Zack, no way will we beat him." max said sadly.   
  
Zack looked at Krit then at Alec and finally Tinga.   
  
"We better find a new place to hide, he knows we're here now." Logan replied.   
  
"Good plan, come on let's go." Jondy said helping Max up. 


	5. Max and her Ninja

AUTHOR'S NOTE-OK GUYS NEXT CHAPTER UP, GLAD YOU GUYS R REVIEIWING ANF GLAD YOU LIKED THE LAST CHAPTER!  
  
LOVE ALL!  
  
NAT  
  
PS- IF YA HAVEN'T NOTICED TINGA NEVER DIED IN SEASON 1!  
  
The 7 busted our of the apartment and ran down the hall. Logan lead them to the stairs were they all ran down the flights of stair as fast as they could. Once on the bottom floor they busted out of the doors. "Follow me, we'll all get in my car!" Logan said. They followed Logan to his parked vehicle the street lights the only one source of light. Zack then looked around.   
  
"Where's Max!?" he yelled at the others.   
  
All of them looked around at each other and Max wasn't among them. Suddenly Max ramped off a trashcan on her bike, landing hard and swerving it to a stop in front of all of them. She took her sunglasses off and placed them on her head.   
  
"I can take one, no way am I leaving my bike here." Max said.   
  
Krit grinned and threw himself in the back seat, Tinga and Jondy following him. Logan got in the driver's seat. Alec grinned and hopped into the passenger's seat of Logan's car.   
  
"Take a seat big bro." she said smiling.   
  
Zack rolled his eyes but got on behind her, grabbing her waist.   
  
"I'm afraid." he warned her.   
  
"Just hang on tight." she ordered as she lowered her sunglasses over her eyes.   
  
By then Logan had pulled out and was right beside her.   
  
"Max, we're going to my uncle's cabin for now, it's the safest bet, I am telling you that just in case we get split up." Logan told her out of his window.   
  
"Gotcha, wanna race?" she asked.   
  
Zack groaned as Alec laughed. Logan smiled at her and pressed on the gas, getting in in front of her. Max smiled as well as she turned her bike around and went the opposite direction.   
  
"Max, what are you doing!?" Zack shouted at her.   
  
"Trust me." she shouted back as she drove fast in the parking garage, going up floor by floor until she reached the 7th out of 20 stories.   
  
Max stopped and placed her feet on the ground as she looked at her watch.   
  
"5.…4...3.…2.….1." she said then turned the handle making the engines roar.   
  
Zack's eyes widened.   
  
"Max, I don't think trust is a factor here!" he shouted knowing what she was going to do.   
  
Max lifted her feet off the ground and placed them on her bike, sending it going forward fast and popping her front wheel up.   
  
"Defiantly not a factor Maxie!" Zack shouted holding onto her.   
  
The bike flew off the parking garage and fell down on the road, on her wheels, right in front of Logan.   
  
"Holly crap!" Alec shouted grabbing a hold of the handle above her window as Logan slammed on the breaks.   
  
Max grinned to herself as she pressed the gas and went speeding off. Logan looked over at Alec who grinned back. Krit laughed loudly in the back.   
  
"Oh yea you go girl!" Jondy shouted.   
  
Max hunched close to her bike as it went faster. She titled her body slightly to the left and the powerful machine turned left off an exit ramp and onto a highway. Max dogged vehicles that were going 'to slow' and never staying in the same lane for more than 4 minutes.   
  
As Max passed one the man driving rolled down his window and shouted, "Bastard!" shaking his fist in the air.   
  
Zack turned around an evil face on as he pulled out a gun and shot at his front tire, blowing it instantly. Zack turned around and heard the car swerve to a stop.   
  
"Zack!" Max scolded.   
  
"Nobody calls me a bastard and gets away with it, same with you." he said.   
  
Max smiled to herself and shook her head, what could she say it's not like anything she would say would stop him or change his mind on what he's going to do. Around 20-25 miles later she got back onto a 2 lane road. Max looked to her left and saw nothing but forest. "Lt's take a detour, hang on!" she shouted turning sharply and disappearing in the forest. 5 minutes later Logan got on the same road.   
  
"Well, either Max blasted us and got home already or she got lost, we weren't that far behind them." Logan said.   
  
Max swerved through the woods, turning a sharp right or left in order to doge a log or a trees.   
  
"Duck!" Max shouted to her brother.   
  
The 2 ducked just in time as a low hanging branch whooshed over their heads. Logan turned into the long drive way seeing the cabin but not Max or her bike.   
  
"Weird, looks like we beat them." he announced to the others.   
  
"Well I dunno maybe it's just me, but they were in front of us and how did they not get here before us?" Alec asked.   
  
Suddenly Max swerved her bike to a stop in front of the garage door. Logan grinned in defeat as Max smiled widely as he pulled to a stop in front of her. Logan turned his car off as the others started piling out.   
  
"Maxie, that was awesome!" Krit said giving her a high five once he got out.   
  
"Yea girl you know how to ride that thing!" Tinga agreed laughing.   
  
"Thank you, thank you." Max said smiling as she lifted one leg over the bike getting off of it and putting her glasses on top of her head.   
  
"How are you holding up Zack?" Jondy asked noticed her hadn't gotten off the bike yet.   
  
Zack pointed at Max.   
  
"Never again am I going on that bike with you." he said getting off slowly.   
  
Max giggled as she looked down at the ground. Zack smiled as well and wrapped his arm around her shoulders.   
  
"But I am glad to know that you know how to get away on that thing. You pull half the crap you did tonight you'll be able to stay away from Manticore." Zack replied.   
  
Jondy laughed as did Max as Logan opened the door and allowed everybody to enter.   
  
Zack looked at his watch it was 4:30 am, not yet light. He looked at Logan knocked out on the couch. A fire was the only thing that filled the room with light. He stood up and looked out the window then looked down at his baby brothers and sisters. They all slept on the floor. He smiled as he watched each of them sleep. Even Alec, he reminded Zack greatly of Ben. Zack sat on a chair still watching over them. He couldn't believe Lydecker would go this low to get them back. One thing was for sure he wasn't going to let him have them if he had anything to do with it. He then looked at Max. "Come here girly, there's a couple of people waiting at home for you." "I bet they are." Those words echoed in Zack's head, banging against his brain. Someone in that place wanted Max, he didn't know who, maybe Lydecker or maybe that guy Max was telling him about that was giving her trouble for a while, Ames White, or maybe both. Zack shook his head no. No, if he wants her badly, it can't be good. And he wasn't going to let him get her, or any of them.  
  
The Zack look alike stood up straight, chest out, hands at his side, feet together, and his eyes looking straight. Lydecker and Ames walked into the room.   
  
"Welcome back solider you said you caught one of the 12?" Lydecker asked getting to the point.   
  
"Yes sir." he said.   
  
"Show me." Lydecker answered.   
  
The Zack look alike looked towards of the Manticore men and shook his head yes, who nodded in response and opened the car door and dragged a girl and a toddler out, throwing the woman into another solider who held her. Lydecker walked up to her.   
  
"Ah, Jace is it?" he asked grinning.   
  
Jace looked meanly at him and struggled violently against the guard.   
  
"We missed you, you know." Lydecker said.   
  
"Go to hell Lydecker!" Jace shouted at him.   
  
"You know you were such a good solider, but they brainwashed you." Lydecker told himself.   
  
"No, they showed me that I am more than a solider and an experiment, I am a living breathing human." she hissed at him.   
  
Ames laughed.   
  
"You are far from human miss." Ames said meanly.   
  
"And who is this?" Lydecker asked pointing at her kid.   
  
"Leave her alone, it's me you want not her." she told him.   
  
Ames then grabbed the girl and yanked her towards him.   
  
"NO! Leave Max ALONE!" she screamed at him.   
  
Lydecker looked at Jace then at the child.   
  
"Max, you called her Max? After the MAX that is your sister, the MAX that is the one who turned you against Manticore. How sweet." Lydecker replied.   
  
"And yet very sickening, let's teach you a lesson 'Jace' never to leave Manticore." Ames replied then pulled out a pistol and shot the young girl in the chest.   
  
"NOOO!" Jace screamed at the top of her lungs struggling against the guards grip.   
  
The Zack looking transgenic jumped and blinked at the response of the sound but still keeping a straight face.   
  
"Take her away." Ames ordered.   
  
The soldier nodded and took the screaming, and crying Jace away.   
  
"Speaking of Max Blade, what's your status on her?" Lydecker asked.   
  
Lydecker had named the transgenic Blade because he considered him the blade that represented Manticore, sharp, cunning and merciless.   
  
"I had her sir but…"   
  
"But what solider!!! Why ISN'T SHE HERE!?" Lydecker shouted.   
  
"Sir, they ganged up against me sir, I almost had her until someone banged me with a teaser sir!" Blade shouted.   
  
"Ganged up? Who?" Ames asked.   
  
"Do you want designations or names sir!?" Blade shouted.   
  
"Designations" Ames said. "Names" Lydecker said at the same time.   
  
Ames and Lydecker looked at each other.   
  
"Names solider." Lydecker finalized.   
  
"Tinga, Krit, Alec, Zack-" Lydecker raised a hand telling him to stop. Following the command he quickly shut up.   
  
"Zack is with her?" he asked him.   
  
"Sir yes he is sir." Blade responded.   
  
"Figures." he said.   
  
"Listen up solider, I am giving you one top thing here. Besides the fact that I want that girl FOUND and back in MANTICORE if you are able to snatch her, Zack will come crashing down like a burning rocket ship. And once he comes down, the others will be easier to catch because they don't have their older brother there telling them what to do or protecting them. They are out of Manticore, yes, but they still all listen to Zack, because they love him. It's like a chain reaction. Look if you can catch all of them at the same time or 2 at the same time, great, but if all else fails go for her. Do I make myself understandable?" Lydecker asked.   
  
"Perfectly sir." Blade answered.   
  
"You do understand what will happen to you if you don't get them all?" Ames double checked.   
  
"Yes sir." Blade answered.   
  
"Good, dismissed." Lydecker ordered.   
  
Blade saluted and then made his way off into the night. 


	6. The Forest was always a scary place

AUTHOR'S NOTE-HEY GUYS HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER, SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING SOONER, BUT I HAD WRITER'S BLOCK, I MAKE THIS UP AS I GO ALONG SO YEA, PLUS I HAVE BEEN BUSY THE PAST COUPLE DAYS! THANKS FOR BEING PATIENT AND THANK YOU FOR REVIEWING AND KEEP ON REVIEWING!!!!J ENJOY,  
  
NAT  
  
****CARPE DIEM****  
  
Max looked blankly into the fire, watching the flames dance. Logan was asleep on the couch, figures, he's only human he needs the rest. Max heard Alec walk around in the kitchen over the popping sounds of the fire but she paid no attention to it. Alec walked up beside her, Max sitting in front of the fire. Alec sighed softly and sat down next to her and set things down beside him. Alec then held up a marshmallow in front of her, offering it to her. Max, disturbed from her thoughts, looked over at Alec who grinned.   
  
Max giggled a little and took it. Alec then handed her a metal stick with a piece of leather on the end for the handle. Both stuck the marshmallow on the end and held it over the fire.   
  
"Some scary stuff huh?" Alec asked breaking the silence between them.   
  
Max shook her head yes in agreement. Alec looked away from her and into the fire.   
  
"When you first let all of us out of Manticore, I never thought I would spend my life doing this." Alec admitted.   
  
Max looked over at him tucking a piece of hair behind her ear.   
  
"I never thought I would be running and hiding. I didn't think they would come looking for us, since the whole bag was out you know?" Alec asked making himself smile a little as looked over at her.   
  
Max looked down at the floorboards and shook her head yes.   
  
"But then you came and told those soldiers that they had to lay low, that kinda made me realize that since you were telling them that, that someone from Manticore will be trying to track us down." Alec added.   
  
"The thing about being out here Alec, is that someone never stops looking. You constantly have to look over your shoulder and constantly question everything." Max said softly.   
  
Alec shook his head in agreement.   
  
"It's hard Max." he admitted and looked back over at her again.   
  
"How did you and your brothers and sisters survive out here, all alone. Lydecker said nothing else but things about you 12. It had to be 1000 times harder to hide then." he added.   
  
"It was defiantly hard at first. Especially when I had no idea what was out here. Truthfully Alec I dunno how I survived this far away from them, but I am thankful that I have." she said.   
  
Alec pulled his marshmallow out, it caught on fire. Alec quickly blew it out as Max laughed at him. She pulled her out as well, knowing it was done. With one hand she managed to break the graham cracker in 2, placed 3 squares of chocolate on it, and pushed the gooey marshmallow onto it. Placing the stick on the floor she then squeezed it together the marshmallow seeping out the sides. Alec popped his marshmallow into his mouth.   
  
"I don't get it, why doesn't Lydecker and Ames just screw off, it's not like their going to get all the transgenics back, there's no possible way." Alec said with his mouth full.   
  
"Nope, probably not, but they're going to try and get the ones that they want the most." Max said glancing at him and standing up eating the last of her smore.   
  
Alec stood up also following her into the kitchen.   
  
"See I told you I knew pissing them off would turn out badly." Alec said pointing at her.   
  
Max rolled her eyes as she grabbed a can of pop out of the refrigerator.   
  
"Wouldn't matter, I was already in deep with Lydecker, I had to keep running from him all the time when just the 12 of us were out. For some reason he really wanted me back in a cage, me and Zack and Ben. Of course he wants the 12 back because he said……….." Max stopped herself and took a drink.   
  
"What?" Alec asked.   
  
"He said that the best escaped that night." she added softly.   
  
Alec grinned.   
  
"You did." he assured her.   
  
"And he wants us back so he can probably make stronger 'better' soldiers to bring everyone else back." she guessed.   
  
Alec raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Then you better pray he doesn't catch you. Besides the fact that you'll be back in Manticore, if he wants to do what you think he wants to do……………. Do I have to remind you that you and Zack destroyed the labs……………And do I have to remind you how they were creating soldiers when they brought you back to Manticore?" Alec hinted.   
  
Max looked up at him as he looked back at her.   
  
"EWWWWE!" the both said.   
  
"Alec, that's sick! I don't even wanna think about that!" she scolded him.   
  
"Hey and you think I want to think about that, yeah right! I am just warning you!" Alec said standing up for himself.   
  
Max smiled and smacked him in the shoulder.   
  
"Ohh girly, don't touch me." he warned.   
  
Grabbing her, wrapping his arm around her throat and holding her there. Max laughed at him.   
  
"Max!" a voice yelled.   
  
Alec and Max looked over at the door and saw Krit fall in the doorway.   
  
"Krit!" Max screamed running up to him, Alec immediately let her go and ran up to him as well.   
  
"Krit, what happened to you!?" she demanded scared as she saw the side of his face bloody.   
  
"He got Jondy Max, I tried to stop him but he…he did this, so I ran as he took her away." he said sadly, in tears.   
  
"Stay here with him, shut the door!" Max ordered as she bolted out the door.   
  
Max ran into the woods going the direction Krit, went smacking leaves and tree branches out of her way with her hand as she ran. Soon she stopped and looked every direction, completely on her guard. Something sparkling caught her eyes. She ran up to it and picked it up off the wet grass. It was a locked, Jondy's locket. Carefully she opened it and it revealed with the mug shots of Zack and herself. Tears filled her eyes. Everyone loved Zack, and she was close to him, no one was as close as she was with him, but still Jondy was close to him. And Max had to be her one sister that she was closest with.   
  
Suddenly someone kicked her in the back, sending her face and chest first into a tree. Max didn't waste anytime and back flipped over her attacker's head, placing Jondy's locket safely into her pocket. The attacker knew he moves and knew she was going to do it he grabbed her arm and rammed her back into the tree, grabbing her chin and pinned her to the tree. Max groaned in anger as she struggled to get away but the result was just fingers gripping her chin more tightly. The attacker stepped into the moonlight, grinning.   
  
Max gasped.   
  
"Ben!" she said not believing her eyes.   
  
Ben smiled more and then kissed her cheek.   
  
"How's my baby sister?" he asked lowly and…..evilly.   
  
"What are you doing alive? I killed you! Your dead!" she screamed.   
  
Ben smirked and then didn't smile anymore.   
  
"Lydecker and the best surgeons at Manticore brought me back to life. Replaced my spinal cord and my organs with machines in their place. And gave me a new brain, of course they gathered the same information from the other one and placed it in this one so I still remember my 'family' And here I am, helping them now." he admitted.   
  
Max's eyes widened.   
  
"Ben, let me go." she said, not in a ordering voice but in a pleading voice.   
  
"What's wrong Maxie? Scared? What are you scared of?" Ben asked in a smart tone.   
  
"Everything." she admitted chills going through her body and her bottom lip shaking from mostly fear.   
  
"Max, you don't belong out here, none of you do, I saw you blow up Manticore and let everyone free, actually quite impressive. But you put yourself in a bad position Maxie, a very bad one." he warned.   
  
"I don't care, they deserved to be free." she answered him.   
  
Ben shook his head no.   
  
"I'm taking you home, where you belong." he said grabbing her bicep and yanking her off the tree and close to him.   
  
"I'm not going back there!" she warned.   
  
"Please, what are you going to do about it? I am a lot stronger than you are Maxie, because I'm a male, and we all know males are just a hint stronger than females plus I'm older. Now, let's go." she said meanly yanking her to go.   
  
Suddenly a person jumped from the top of a tree, as he fell his legs wrapped around Ben's neck and the person's back landed on the ground. With his leg power he threw Ben over his head, causing him to let go of Max. Ben flew back first into a tree. Zack stood up in front of Max, protecting her.   
  
"Zack." she said happily.   
  
"Ben, you might be older than Max but your still the little brother to me." he said meanly.   
  
Ben stood up facing his older brother.   
  
"Zack." he said grinning, happy to see him.   
  
"Didn't they tell you not to pick on girls when they took you back to Manticore, especially if they are MY sister. Ben I am getting the vibe that you're no longer on our side and taking that information you BETTER not touch ANY of my sisters or brothers or your ass is mine little brother." he warned.   
  
"I'm not afraid of you." Ben said.   
  
"You should be." Zack told him.   
  
Ben looked back at Max and smiled.   
  
"Don't look at her look at the enemy that you are taking on solider." Zack ordered.   
  
Ben laughed.   
  
"Not now. You and Max have fun while you can Zack, what makes you think that you can run from him, from Ames? From me? From Blade?" Ben asked him.   
  
"I will do what I have to, who the hell is blade?" Zack demanded.   
  
"Oh you two met in Logan's place." Ben told him.   
  
"That bastard that looks like me. That's his name, how corny." Zack said.   
  
Ben laughed the insult off.   
  
"Just wait Zack, you and the others can't run and hide forever, your running out of places to hide, and don't bother going to a different country or state, we have all the exits, airports, and roads leading out of Seattle blocked and under surveillance. So just because I love you and Maxie so much, I'm giving you a head start. Good luck." Ben said then disappeared into the night.   
  
Zack turned around and looked back at Max.   
  
"Are you ok?" he asked hugging her.   
  
"No." she said.   
  
"Did he hurt you?" he asked looking her face over.   
  
"No Zack, he didn't hurt me just freaked me out. I killed him, and now he's alive it's so freaky." she said resting her head on his shoulder.   
  
"I know it is. They turned him against us, that wasn't the real Ben. They changed him." Zack said.   
  
"Zack, what are we going to do?" she asked.   
  
"I dunno baby sister, but one thing we're not gonna do is give up. That is not an option." he told her.   
  
Suddenly Max collapsed on the ground and started shaking.   
  
"Max!" Zack said bending down to see what was wrong. Seeing the shaking he placed a hand on her forehead which was burning up.   
  
"Oh God, a seizure." he told himself.   
  
"Come on Maxie." he told her as he lifted her up in his arms. He looked every direction getting his bearings and then took off running.  
  
Tinga sat in tears on the couch as Alec bandaged the side of Krit's head and Logan was fixing everyone something to eat.   
  
"They shoulda been back by now. Something must have happened." Krit said.   
  
"Don't even say that Krit." Tinga scolded tears running down her cheeks.   
  
"He got Jondy, I am not letting him get Max and Zack too!" Krit warned them.   
  
Alec glanced nervously at Logan who returned the look.   
  
Suddenly Zack busted through the front door with Max in his arms. Tinga jumped to her feet, scared.   
  
"Tinga, get me Max's pills now!" Zack yelled.   
  
Tinga darted back into the hallway disappearing into one Krit jumped off the table he was sitting on and helped Zack put Max on it. Tinga flew back into the room with her pills. Zack unscrewed the cap as Krit propped her head up a little. Zack grabbed around 3 or 4 and put them in her mouth.   
  
"Come on Max, swallow them." Zack whispered to her.   
  
"COME ON MAX!!" Zack said louder.   
  
"How long has it been since she started having it?" Logan asked.   
  
"I don't know but more than 5 minutes into a seizure she'll be knocked into a coma! Come on Max stop shaking." he said.   
  
Krit looked up at Zack who glued his eyes on Max. Tinga grabbed Max's hand. Suddenly she stopped. Zack breathed easily. Logan felt her pulse and looked at Zack.   
  
"She's ok." he said.   
  
Zack breathed easily and turned around and ran his fingers stressfully through his hair before turning back around. Max opened her eyes.   
  
"Tinga." she said happily.   
  
Tinga smiled and hugged her, Krit also hugged both of them. Zack looked at the remaining of the 12 that he knew was still out of Manticore's clutches.   
  
What the hell is going to happen to us? Zack asked himself as he watched the 3 hug. 


	7. Attitude

AUTHOR'S NOT- HERE YA GO GUYS, NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU ALL LIKE IT, THANKS SOOOOOO MUCH FOR REVIEWING AND PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING! I LOVE GETTING REVIEWS! IF I HAVE ANY TYPOS, PLEASE IGNORE THEM I WAS IN A BIG, BIG HURRY!!!!!!!! ENJOY AND HOPE YOU LIKE;)  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
NaTaShA  
  
****CaRpE DiEm*****  
  
"Ok, we need to get out of here, now, they know we're here." Zack said getting their attention.   
  
Max shrugged, out of ideas.  
  
"I'm not sure of any other place we can go Zack." Logan answered.   
  
"Well we can't stay here, we'll all get caught." Zack answered.   
  
"How does he keep finding us?" Krit asked.   
  
Zack shrugged. Max jumped up, an idea striking her.   
  
"I know where we can stay. I know this transgenic, his name is Joshua. He's a good friend of mine, but he's a mutant." She answered.   
  
Tinga's mouth dropped and Krit looked at Zack to see his reation.   
  
"You made friends with a nomalee?" Zack said not believing what he was hearing.   
  
"Don't you remember Ben's stories Max?" Krit asked.   
  
"He's not like that, he has K9 DNA, he's a harmless puppy. I promise." she said.   
  
"Yea he wouldn't hurt anyone, even if he tried." Alec agreed.   
  
"Max we're not going to go and stay with a nomalee." Tinga said.   
  
"Right now, I think your out of choices." Logan answered for Max.   
  
Max looked at their faces.   
  
"Max is right, it's either that or staying here and risking getting caught. Let's go." Zack said giving in reluctantly.   
  
The 6 piled out of the cabin and Max took her rightful place on her bike.   
  
"Who's comin' with me or is anyone?" Max asked.   
  
They all looked at each other and piled into Logan's car.   
  
"Ok." Max said getting her sunglasses out and putting them on.   
  
"See you Joshua's place." Max called out to Logan.   
  
"Gotcha, Max! Be carful!" Logan said smiling.   
  
Max grinned back, nodded her head and took off.   
  
Max sped her way to Joshua's place, taking the back alleys and not the main road, just to be safe. She stopped her bike and looked both ways before getting into the open. Suddenly something caught her eye. Thanks to her cat vision she looked across the road and saw people in black suits beating someone up and then throwing him into the back of a car.   
  
She then saw Ames's face, instinctivly she moved her bike back a little for cover.   
  
"Must have caught themselves a little trannie." Max told herself.   
  
She watched her enemy get into the car and the car drive off down a alley. Placing her feet on the bike she began driving across the main road to go down another alley way. Suddenly she swerved to a stop as a car got in her way.   
  
"452, it's about time I saw you again." Ames said grinning.   
  
"Spare me Ames and get out of my way." she warned.   
  
"I knew you would be coming to save this pathetic piece of trash." Ames acknowledged.   
  
"That's where you're wrong, I didn't come to save him, I was just passing by." Max said in a smart tone.   
  
"Ok, your dad wants you back home 452." Ames answered taking a step towards her with his gun drawn.   
  
Max rolled her eyes.   
  
"Tell him I like being out here on my own." she answered.   
  
"Tell him yourself." Ames nodded, hinting her to look behind her.   
  
Max turned her head around, still on her bike, she saw Lydcker standing behind her.   
  
"Oh gosh, are you still living?" Max asked.   
  
"Max." he said smiling, happy to see her.   
  
"Ok, I didn't want to do this but, oh well you'll get over it." Max shared then popped a wheelie flying past Ames, grabbing the gun from his hand, swerved to a stop so that she was facing Lydcker and Ames.   
  
She then raised the gun to both of them, her lips curled in hated. Ames backed away slowly and Lydecker just rested easily.   
  
"Go ahead, shoot us." Lydecker insisted.   
  
Ames looked over at him, in a face that said 'what the heck are you doing?' Max glared at him.   
  
"What's the hesitation solider!? Come on! Shoot me!" Lydecker yelled at her.   
  
Max raised the gun up over her head and fired once, getting the bullet out. She then took the clip out and broke the gun in half and threw the pieces on to the ground.   
  
"Figures, you did always have a soft spot for guns." Lydecker mumbled.   
  
Max then pressed the gas and turned around and started going .   
  
"After her! Don't let her get away!" Lydecker ordered.   
  
A car, that Otto, Ames assistant, was driving took off after her. Max groaned then got up to a stop light. Lydecker watched with interest. Max then stood up and jumped, grabbing the bar, her legs hanging on to her bike. She flipped upside down around the pole as the car went under the light. Max then as she came over she smacked the front of her bike into the back window of the car, smashing it to pieces. Max jumped off her bike as it was stuck into the back window.   
  
Otto jumped out a teaser in his hand as did another one of Ames's men who was in the passenger's seat. Otto the jabbed it at her waist. Max jumped back barely dogging it and grabbed his hand that helad the teaser. She twisted his wrist causing him to drop it, she then grabbed him by the collar and looked over at his little helper, coming towards her with a teaser in his hand as well. Max kicked it out of his hand then kicked him in the face.  
  
Once she saw that he went down Max grabbed Otto's shoulders and flipped over him, landing on her knees behind him. She grabbed the teaser and turned around and rammed it in his chest. She watched in horror as Otto fell to the ground twisting and shaking because of the electric shock. She HATED those teasers. Max then broke it in half over her knee and threw it aside, standing up.   
  
"Impressive." Lydecker said walking up to her.   
  
Max glared at him, then sudenly caught an arm from behind her. Max knew Ames was behind her and she knew he was going to punch her, therefore she grabbed his arm. Max spun around and gave a punch to Ames in the face then kneed him in the stomach. She then spun back around, back to facing Lydecker, grabbed Ames's arm and flipped him over her shoulder.   
  
Ames then swung his leg, trying to knock them out from underneath of her. expecting this she jumped and once she landed he was up on his feet. She blocked one of Ames's punches and then kicked him hard in the side with her right leg. Ames winced but was fast enough to catch her leg before it hit the ground. Max clenched her teeth as she fought to free her leg and maintain her balance at the same time. Ames then swipped the leg that held her up, in response she came crashing to the concrete, on her back.   
  
"Son of a ......."she said between he teeth.   
  
"Don't say it Max, you know your not permitted to say those words." Lydecker warned.   
  
Max then rammed her captured foot up into Ames's nose, causing him to let go and stumble back. Max took the advantage and stood up and ran over to the car that her bike was in.   
  
She quickly jumped up on the car, but suddenly Lydecker grabbed her wrist and yanked her off. He then sent a powerful punch to her left cheek, the force of his punch causing her head to swing to the right. She didn't have time to recover before he punched her across the right cheek, sending her head to the left. The force made her stumble back into a pole. Max then spit out a mouthfull of blood. She glared at Lydecker who was close to her face.   
  
She smiled and then rammed her knee into the spot that counts on a guy, then punched him across the left cheek, causing him to fall to the ground. Max's hair stuck to her face as she glared at Lydecker rolling around on the ground. She moved it out of her face and then ran up, jumping on the car and yanked her bike out.   
  
"Uh, no dmage, thanks for not hurting my bike boys." she said the jumped on it and quickly spend to the car and busted the door.   
  
"Get on." she ordered the transgenic.   
  
Ames glared at her.   
  
"Just for the heck of it, I will come to his guys rescue." she said the pressed on the gas and sped pass him, punching him in the face, knocking him out, then she sped down the road.   
  
Max stopped a long ways from where she tangoed with Ames and Lydecker. She rested her feet on the ground.   
  
"Here you go, be careful ok." she said.   
  
The transgenic got off and looked at her.   
  
"Thanks, but why did you...........oh my gosh, your the girl who got everyone out, aren't you!" he said reconizing her.   
  
Max grinned.   
  
"Yea." she answered.   
  
"I remember you saved my life, and you did it again tonight. Your the best, thanks for everything......"   
  
"Max" she answered knowing he was looking for a name.   
  
"Max, thanks again Max." he said.   
  
"No problem, just be careful." she said.   
  
He shook his head then turned around and ran off down the alley, disapperaing into the darkness. Max smiled to herself then lokked behind her and sped off to Joshua's.  
  
She reached Joshua's place and parked her bike around back and hid it in some bushes. She then walked around to the front and entered.   
  
"Max!" Zack said jumping up to greet her as did Krit, Alec, and Tinga.   
  
"Where were you!? You shoulda gotten here before us." Alec answered.   
  
"Sorry I had a situation." she answered trying to get past them.   
  
Alec stopped her.   
  
"What happened to your lip?" he asked.   
  
Max looked at Zack then at Tinga who were wondering the same thing.   
  
"I ran into a tree limb." she lied.   
  
Alec looked at her like she was stupid. And Krit looked at her giving the 'yeah right' look.   
  
"Ok, fine, I had a little run in with White and Lydecker, ok, no big." Max said.   
  
"No big, Max, you coulda been caught, are you ok?" Tinga asked.   
  
"I'm fine I got away without any of them knowing where I was going." Max answered.   
  
"That's not important, just as long as your ok, and that lip looks kinda gross." Zack answered.   
  
"Come on let's go fix it up." Logan answered.   
  
"Go ahead." Zack permitted.   
  
Max then followed Logan into the kitchen as he put layer upon layer of gloves on his hands to keep himself safe from the virus that she carried.   
  
"Hey lil' fella." Joshua said, sitting at the table with a huge bowl of macaroni and cheese sitting in front of him.   
  
"Hey big fella." she said smiling walking behind him and kissing him on the head and sat on the edge of the table.   
  
"Ok, open up." Logan said.   
  
Max did as she was told as Logan examined the cut inside her lip. Zack walked in.   
  
"Hey lil' fella's brother." Joshua greeted Zack.   
  
Zack looked over at him, forced himself to smile and nodded his head.   
  
"Hey Joshua." he answered.   
  
"You want macaroni and cheese?" he asked.   
  
"Um, no thanks I'm not hungry." Zack said.   
  
Joshua nodded his head, shrugged, and contiuned eating.   
  
"There, hold the ice on it for a little while." Logan said.   
  
Max shook her head yes as she took a hold of the cold ice bag and helfd it on her lip. Zack walked up to her.   
  
"How you holding up?" he asked.   
  
"I'm holding." she asnwered.   
  
"Good." Zack responded.   
  
Logan washed his hands in bleach then took them off, smiled at both of them then walked into the living room.   
  
"Zack, I was wondering, how did you find me? In the woods? With Ben?" she asked him.   
  
Zack grinned.   
  
"I hear a loud scream so Tinga and I ran back to the cabin, once we got there Krit told us Jondy was gone and that you ran out, so I went the direction he had went. Then I used these." Zack answered smiling pointing at his ears.   
  
"And I hear talking and I reconized your voice. But I didn't know it was Ben until after I attacked him." Zack explained.   
  
Max shook her head in understanding.   
  
"You scared me when I didn't see your bike at Joshua's. My mind rushed with things, various things that could have happened, and I guess one of my thoughts did happen. From now on I'm going with you, even if you do scare the crap out of me on your bike,I am not going to leave you alone to fight them again." Zack answered.   
  
Max grinned.   
  
"I'm a big girl, I can fight them, barely because Ames is a familiar but I can still do it." she answered smiling.   
  
"I know, you've grown up but your still my little sister and it's my job to protect you." he shot back.   
  
Max smiled wider and hugged him. Joshua smiled sweetly at the site. 


	8. The South Market

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HEY GUYS!!!!!!!!! NEXT CHAPTER UP AND RUNNING. HOPE YOU LIKE!LIKE I SAID I WOULD I AM POSTING WHAT I POSTED IN THE REVIEW PLACE HERE JUST IN CASE NONE OF YOU READ IT OR HAVE NO CLUE WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT, SO HERE IT IS-  
  
Ok, hi everybody, i am posting this in my reviews as well as in my author's note for the next chapter coming up. Seems that something needs to be sorted out   
  
Lira, i love Dark Angel. I am FULLY aware of every single event that happens in the first and second season. I know Zack looses his memory, i know Tinga dies, i know Ben dies. Now normally i follow these guidlines and write my stories in the right 'time sense' But considering i always do that, i wanted to do something different. I remember very clearly posting in one of my author's notes to ingore the fact that Tinga died, b/c i made it never happen, and ignore the whole Zack loosing memeory thing.   
  
Look, like i said before (in my author's notes) i LOVE the relationship Max and Zack has, big brother/little sister relationship. And i like Tinga and hey EVERYONE loves alec! So i just put them all together. It's not really a big deal;) Plus, I explained why Ben came back in the 6th chapter. I love Ben, so thats why i brought him back.  
  
I don't think my story is that confusing to grasp. If it is i could just delet it and start a different one;) I mean it's not confusing to me,is it to anyone else?   
  
So yes my times might be a little, 'whacked' but hey it's my story, not a dark angel episode, it doesn't have to flow with the season;)   
  
I hope i cleared things up for you. Thanks ever much for reveiwing! And please contiune. I answer all questions in my author's notes most times, so:) Important to read. lol, believe me i am the BIGGEST Dark Angel fan, i know how things go;)thanks!  
  
Love all,  
  
the author,  
  
Nat  
  
OK SO EVERYTHING CLEARED UP? EVERYONE GOT IT!?:) I KNOW WHAT I AM DOING AND I HAVE SEEN EVERY SINGEL DARK ANGEL EPISODE SO I KNOW WHAT HAPPENS TO BEN AND ZACK AND TINGA AND THE OTHERS, I JUST WANTED ZACK AND TINGA AND KRIT TO BE WITH MAX AND ALEC. SO AGAIN SO THERE IS NO CONFUSION---------------TINGA DIDN'T DIE!!! ZACK DIDN'T LOOSE HIS MEMORY!!! BEN DID DIE BUT WAS BROUGHT BACK TO LIFE IN THE 6TH CHAPTER!!!!!!   
  
BUT THANK YOU LIRA FOR SAYING THAT. IF YOU WERE CONFUSED THAT MEANS THERE IS PROBABLY SOMONE ELSE WHO IS AS WELL.   
  
ENJOY THE CHAPTER  
  
************CARPE DIEM************  
  
NAT  
  
  
  
Max sat in front of Joshua's window, starring up into starry sky. She sighed softly as everyone else was asleep. Man, she itched to go to her needle. She really needed to get things off her mind. But she knew if she went and someone woke up they would panic, and give everyone a heart attack. She then felt a hand on her shoulder, in response she looked up and saw Joshua smiling down at her. Max forced herself to smile back as he sat down next to her.   
  
"You should be in bed big fella." Max said softly.   
  
"Joshua not tired, slept all day stay up all night." Joshua answered as he sat indian style next to her and also looked up at the stars.  
  
"Pretty sky huh?" Max asked.   
  
Joshua shook his head in agreement.   
  
"Joshua like to paint a picture of it one day." he said.   
  
"I bet it will be beautiful Joshua, you're an awesome painter." Max said grinning.   
  
"Thanks lil' fella." he said blushing.   
  
Max smiled but didn't take her eyes off of the stars.   
  
"Max." he said.   
  
Max then turned her head towards him.   
  
"What are you running from?" Joshua asked.   
  
Max only looked at him.   
  
"What makes you think I'm running from anything?" Max asked him.   
  
"Bring bunch of your brothers and sisters and stay the night. You never stay the night Max. What's happening?" Joshua asked.   
  
"Lydecker is after us, and Ames, and Ben and this transgeic that we can't beat. And I have no clue what to do about it." Max shared.   
  
Joshua looked at her sadly.   
  
"That sucks." he said quietly.   
  
"Yea, but don't worry we're leaving tommorrow. He doesn't want you, so I'm going to stop coming around you so you'll be safe. Do you understand?" Max asked softly.   
  
Joshua looked at her sadly then placed his hand on her hand.   
  
"I would rather go back to Manticore than have you stop coming around me lil' fella." he told her.   
  
"Joshua, you don't want these people after you, you'll be a lot better off if I stay away from you. I don't want you going back there." she said.   
  
"I don't want you to go back there. I want to help you Max." he said.   
  
"Joshua, the LAST thing I need is another person i care about to use against me." she responded.   
  
"You can't loose me." he said smiling widly at her.   
  
This made her laugh a little.   
  
"Please let me help Max." Joshua said quietly.  
  
Blade walked down the alleys of Seattle. Blue jeans, black boots, blakc t-shirt and black leather jacket. His face was serious and with a hint of evil on it. He glared everyway using his cat vision in the dark trying to find something or more important someone. He rounded a corner and then bumped into Ben.   
  
"Find anything?" Blade asked.   
  
"Nothing." Ben hissed back in an angry manner.   
  
"No sweat, there are only so many places they can be, relax, we'll find 'em." Blade said smiling.   
  
Ben looked at him. Getting the hint that Ben wouldn't stop looking at him. Finally Blade looked back at him.   
  
"What?" he asked annoyed wanting to know why he kept looking at him.   
  
"Ok, I gotta ask, why the black highlights on the tip of you spikes?" he asked.   
  
"Not my choice." Blade answered as he started walking.   
  
"I mean it looks cool but I'm just wondering why?" Ben said also walking.   
  
"Like I said not my choice, when all of your brother's and sister's genes where mixed to form me, Zack's genes where the one who dominated because Lydecker used the most of Zack's DNA. That's why I look like him, but see also in your other siblings make up was their hair color and most of your brother's and sister's hair is black or dark brown. Of course they couldn't over ride Zack's blonde hair, but it went somewhere." Blade explained.   
  
"Thats cool." Ben admitted.   
  
"I guess." he added.   
  
He then stopped walking and looked over at Ben.   
  
"Do you have any idea where they could be hiding?" he asked.   
  
"No, it's not like we spent every day together once we got out." Ben said.   
  
"You didn't?" Blade asked sounding suprised.   
  
"No, Zack said that if we stayed together that it would be easier for them to catch us so we all went to different parts of the world. The only one I kept in contact with was Zack, and well I met Max a while when I was here in Seattle." Ben explained.  
  
"You 12 are stronger than I thought then, I never would have guessed that you all went different ways, alone. That event must have made you guys tougher than rocks, unfortantly." Blade replied.   
  
Ben said nothing.   
  
"Let's go, we got a lot of work to do if we're going to find them." Blade said walking off with Ben following.   
  
Max groaned as she threw the empty container to the ground. She sighed and walked out of the bathroom to a room full of family eating.   
  
"I need to go to South Market." Max announced.   
  
Everyone looked at her.   
  
"Why?" Logan asked.   
  
"I'm not of my pills and I need them soon, unless you guys have any." Max said.   
  
"I just took my last one." Krit told her.   
  
"I don't have siezures very often." Tinga said.   
  
She looked at Zack and Alec.   
  
"Lost mine." Alec said.   
  
"Ok, but someone is going with you." Zack said.   
  
"I'll go with her." Krit said.   
  
"Dude, everytime you and someone else goes somewhere, they get taken." Tinga replied.   
  
"So, don't worry I won't let anything happen to the runt. I promise, they'll have to kill me before they take her away." Krit replied.   
  
"Ok, but if you show up here without Max Krit, there's gonna be some fightening." Zack warned.   
  
"Dido." Tinga and Alec said together.   
  
"Great." Krit said under his breath.   
  
"Let's go." she repelied.   
  
The 2 walked through the crowd in the South Market.   
  
"Max, don't go so fast, I can't loose you." Krit said practically jogging after her.   
  
"Well hurry up, I'm starting to shake, ok." Max shouted back at him.   
  
The 2 walked as fast as they could suddenly Max fell backwards, luckly Krit caught her.   
  
"You ok Max?" he asked.   
  
"Yea I just need to get to this shop." she said walking again.   
  
Soon they got to the stand. Krit watched max demand for her pills and saw her swap a load of cash once she got them. The pills in her hand she took out a couple and sawllowed them. The shaking softened and soon stopped. Max placed them in her pocket and tucked her straight hair behind her ear.   
  
"Let's go home." she said.   
  
They both turned around but then ran into someone.   
  
"Holy crap!" Krit said frightened.   
  
Max also looked at him in fear.   
  
"Blade." Max said.   
  
"Yea hi guys, Max is it? And Krit. Right." Blade said smiling.   
  
Soon Ben walked up.   
  
"Ben." Krit said.   
  
Blade then placed a hand on her shoulder. She winced as she felt his fingers dig into her shoulder.   
  
"I think you need to come with me." he said.   
  
Max then took a hold of her collar.   
  
"What are going to do? Use your genitic powers, you can't, exposure and Lydecker won't like that." she said, then ripped her collar a little.   
  
"RAPE! RAPE! RAPE!!!!!!!!!!" she then screamed.   
  
Immediatly 7 cops started running up at them.   
  
"What's the problem here?" one sector cop asked.   
  
"These sickos tried to rape my sister!" Krit said pointing at Blade and Ben who gave the look of 'busted' on their face.   
  
The 7 then stepped in front of them, yelling, checking, and questioning them. Max noticed they blocked their vision and took Krit's hand and led him down the left alley.   
  
"Max, where are you going, we had to go right to go to his place." Krit said confused.   
  
Max stopped in front of a fire escape latter on the side of the building.   
  
"Shh, I know, but we went this way just in case they saw us so they thought we high tailed it left." Max said walking up the latter.   
  
Krit sighed and followed. Soon they were up ontop of the roof, over looking South Market.   
  
"Come on." Max told Krit as she stepped onto a thin piece of rope and started walking over to the other building on th other side of South Market.   
  
Krit jumped up on it and followed. Both moved quickly yet quietly so they wouldn't draw attention to themselves. Max then jumped onto the roof of the building that she needed to be on, same did Krit. Max then ran ofver to the side and went down the fire escape latter, as did Krit. Once on the ground Max smiled at her brother.   
  
"Now we're on the right side, and they thought we went left. Come on." she said running back down the alley.   
  
She then stopped in front of a sewer and opened the top. Max looked up at Krit.   
  
"Na uh Max, I am not going in there." Krit said.   
  
"Come on Krit, it's the safest way now stop being a baby and just go." Max said.   
  
Krit sighed and then walked down the latter into the sewer. Max looked both ways then jumped on the latter herself, pulling the top over her. Once she put the lid back on she climbed down the latter.   
  
"This is gross." he said.   
  
"Come on, this is my escape route, I know where I'm going." she said.   
  
Krit followed Max down a series of tunnels and mazes of latters, steps, tunnels, and more. After 20 minutes or so Max walked up one latter on the left and pushed the top out, jumping out herself. She held out her hand and helped Krit up then shoved the lid back on.   
  
"Follow me." she ordered as she ran through a series of back yards.  
  
She took a left and jumped over the fence, Krit following and they were in Joshua's backyard.   
  
"Wow, amazing, you must use that way a lot." Krit said.   
  
"More than you think." Max said smiling as she walked into Joshua's house.   
  
Zack came up and hugged Max and then hugged Krit, Tinga also hugged both of them.   
  
"Everything go ok?"Alec asked.   
  
"Yea." she said.   
  
"Zack man, she's got a good head on her shoulders! She has ways of getting around and escaping from people all over the city!" he said.   
  
"Escaping, who were you escaping from?" Logan asked.   
  
"We ran into Ben and Blade, Max screamed that they were harrasing her, sector police jumped in totally got them away from us. Then we went left instead of right and we went up a building, across a rope over to the right side, went down the latter and got on the ground and Max made it look like we went left just in case one of them could see though the cops. Then we went down inside of the sewers which was kinda gross, but she lik escapes from people all the time through there so that can be to our advantage she knows her way around the whole city down there." Krit said happily.   
  
Max laughed at his 'excitedness' of their little adventure. Zack looked at Max and smiled.   
  
"Not bad at all, I think I under estimated you Maxie." Zack said.   
  
Max shrugged.   
  
"Everyone does." she said smiling.   
  
"That they do." Alec agreed. 


	9. People who look alikeya gotta hate 'em

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS. I APOLOGIZE IF I MADE A BIG DEAL ABOUT THE DA THING EARLIER, BUT IT'S PAST AND LET'S GET BACK TO READING AND REVIEWING!!!!! NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE A BIG ONE, HOPEFULLY!!!!!!!!!! ENJOY!  
  
*****CARPE DIEM*****  
  
NAT  
  
"That little BRAT!!!" Blade yelled infuriated as he paced back and forth in front of Ben who casually ate an apple.   
  
"Catching her is going to be harder than I thought. She's quick on her feet, and uses everything around and available to her. Something Manticore defiantly did not teach her." Blade admitted.   
  
"Well no duh, the only thing Manticore taught us to do is sneak around and fight, oh and kill." Ben answered.   
  
"When Lydecker told us that I was going to try and track down a bunch of measly kids younger than me I thought it would be easier than this." Blade said.   
  
"Well Jondy was." Ben said looking on the bright side.   
  
Ben sighed.   
  
"Lydecker is gonna what an explanation." Ben shared.   
  
"You think I don't know that?" Blade snapped at him.   
  
Ben grinned and jumped off his seat, he walked up beside the taller transgenic.   
  
"Tell him, Ben's taking care of it." he said then walked away.   
  
Blade raised an eyebrow, wondering what he meant by that.   
  
Max sighed annoyingly as she leaned her back against a wall.   
  
"Ok, and the point of this is………." Max asked.   
  
Alec rolled his eyes and looked at her.   
  
"You roll your eyes at me again I'll smack 'em out of your head." she warned pointing at him.   
  
"We need to score this so we can sell it on the black market and get some money, considering we need food and well we don't work at Jampony any more." Alec said showing her a picture of the miniature table statue that she and Alec were suppose to steal.   
  
Max sighed as she pulled her hair into a low ponytail and looked up.   
  
"Whatever." she mumbled then threw up a piece of rope with a hook at the end. She pulled it on hard and noticing it was secure she quickly climbed up. Alec watched her reach the top within seconds and he ran up the building as well. Alec jumped on top of the flat roof and pulled the rope up so no one could sneak up on them. Max looked down at her waist and unzipped a pocket and took out a knife. A strand of hair escaped from the tie and was flying everywhere. But Max didn't care about it, she was too focused on what she was doing. It was surprisingly chilly and very windy.   
  
Alec followed Max to a large window in the center of the building. Max cut a large square, big enough for them to fit through, and pulled the glass out and gently set it aside. Max then stood up and walked over to the edge, tying the end of a rope tightly and securely around a pole, she did the same with Alec's.   
  
"Now, your sure where this thing is?" Max asked.   
  
Alec shook his head and he rolled out the blue prints of the building.   
  
"Once we hint the floor in there, we will need to take a right and it should be there." Alec said.   
  
"Gotcha." she said hooking the other end of the tied rope around her waist.   
  
"Let's go." she replied then jumped through the square.   
  
She fell fast yet silent until the rope tightened and she stopped halfway down. Max looked around, to the left then slowly moved her lazy eyes to the right. Nothing was there. She unhooked the tied rope and she fell rest of the way down. She landed in silence in a squatting position, like a cat. She was an expert at this sort of stuff considering how many years of cat burglary she done. Her sharp eyes continued to dart across the room as she slowly stood up, pushing the loose strand of hair behind her ear.   
  
She moved out of the way as Alec slide down the rope to come to a stop on his feet. Max made a hand motion that meant come on and she sneaked over to the corner. Her knees bent and arms out ready to fight if she had too. She peered around the corner and looked back at Alec and nodded her head yes. Alec returned the nod and then walked fast up to her and around the corner.   
  
Alec grinned once he saw what he was looking for. He grabbed it and just waited for a siren. But to his amazement there was none. He quickly stuffed it in his jacket and ran past Max. Max watched Alec start pulling himself up with the rope. Max did the same and Alec helped her up on the roof.   
  
"Let's jet." Max said gathering her stuff up quickly.   
  
"But there was no alarm." Alec said confused why she was so paranoid.   
  
"So that doesn't mean you didn't trick a silent alarm. Now let's go!" she scolded.   
  
Alec moaned and quickly followed her down the latter and they ran all the way to Crash.   
  
"Let me change real quick then we'll head down to South market and score some cash off this baby." he said walking into the crash.   
  
"Whatever, don't take all day." she warned shoving her back in a bored manner up against the alley wall.   
  
Ben sat in the Crash having a drink but originally spying. He got word that this place was the hangout spot of most young people and frankly, he could see why. Ben glanced to his right.   
  
Suddenly he thought his heart skipped a beat as he thought he saw Max. He turned his head completely to the right and saw her, standing outside. A smile slowly stretched across his lips then he shook the gel from his hair, but it still stuck up on it's own, got from the table and walked over and out the door. Ben walked out, Max's bored eyes met his.   
  
"Can we go now?" she asked still annoyed.   
  
Ben looked at her weirdly.   
  
"I guess." he answered.   
  
"You got the statue rat looking thing?" she asked.   
  
Ben touched his chest, the pocket inside his black leather coat and smiled.   
  
"In my coat." he answered playing along.   
  
"Good, now let's get the hell out of here, sell the crapy thing and get back home ok?" Max asked.   
  
"Ok." Ben agreed.   
  
Max made a notion to walk and suddenly Ben grabbed her by the back of the neck and rammed her into a light post. Max's head ricochet off of it and she fell unconscious to the ground. Ben grinned and looked to the left then picked her up and jolted off.   
  
Couple minutes later Alec walked out. Noticing Max was gone he looked around confused. Fear then took him, so bad his heart started racing.   
  
"Uh oh." Alec said. 


	10. Family issues and sibling rivary

AUTHOR'S NOTE-  
  
HEY GUSY NEXT CHAPTER UP!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU LIKE, VERY PHYSICAL CHAPTER! LOTS OF ACTION OR SO I TRIED! IT'S 12:06 AND I AM BEAT! iT TOOK ME FOREVER TO WRITE THIS THING AND I AM WAY TO TIRED TO REREAD IT. SO PLEASE EXCUES ANY TYOS OK, I DID SPELL CHECK AND EVERYTHING SEEMS TO BE IN ORDER BUT JUST INCASE PLEASE DON'T JUMP DONW MY THROA, I'M TOO TIRED;) HOPE YOU ENJOY IT AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!! WARNING--------- LOOOONG CHAPTER!!!! AGAIN, ENJOY  
  
LOVE ALL  
  
******CARPE DIEM******  
  
Nat  
  
Once Max opened her eyes an unbelievable pain welcomed her from her head. She immediately noticed she was in a sitting position, her head hung over her chest, millions of loose strands from her ponytail hanging in her face. She moved her arms and realized that they were handcuffed behind her. She slowly rose her head, her headache knocking against her skull. She noticed that she was in some kind of abandoned barn or building.   
  
"Your up, good, you took quite a fall." Ben answered from the shadows.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
"Your not Alec." she admitted.   
  
Ben then walked into the moonlight shining in through the abandoned window.   
  
"No, how could you insult me like that?" Ben asked.   
  
"You look exactly like him, hair and everything. Why are you doing this to me?" Max said sadly.   
  
Ben looked at her.   
  
"I have orders Maxie and that's to get you back there." Ben answered her.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Your turning your back on me, betraying us all. Ben, I love you, why are trying to hurt me!?" she demanded tears forming.   
  
"Shut up Max. I don't wanna hear it ok." Ben said.   
  
"Why? Feeling guilty?" she asked.   
  
Ben rolled his eyes and looked into her big brown eyes that were glossy.   
  
"Ben, you don't have to do this to us, you can come with us and hide, it's only a matter of weeks before Blade dies and we can be a family." Max replied.   
  
"Max, I don't want to run ok, why would I want to be with you and run all my life. Yes Blade might die, but what do you think is stopping Lydecker and Ames from making another one? Maybe one which is WORSE than Blade. So just give up and come silently, like a good solider." Ben said leaning his back against the wall in front of her.   
  
"You know what they'll do us when we get back there Ben, especially me. I have caused Lydecker and Ames enough trouble for 5,000 lifetimes. I can't go back there and live a good life, I won't go." She snapped at him.   
  
"Well that's your problem Max, you're the one that made that decision to get on their nerves." Ben pointed out.   
  
Max looked at him hurt.   
  
"Your not my brother. I don't know who you are. You're a monster." she said meanly.   
  
Ben raised an eyebrow and then walked up in front f her and squatted down in front of her.   
  
"A monster? How could you say that about me?" He asked.   
  
"How could you do this to me and act like you don't even care about ANY of us anymore. Ben, I know that's a lie, even though they put a new brain in you, I know that SOME part of you still cares for us. What happened to my older brother?" she asked.   
  
"SHUT-UP!" Ben shouted grabbing her chin.   
  
Max then grabbed his wrist and kicked him off her. Ben stumbled back on his back as Max slowly stood up glaring at her brother who quickly jumped to his feet.   
  
"How'd you….."   
  
"Being stuck in the world with no one to help me, I learned to be an excellent cat burglar which also means being an excellent lock picker. Next time you plan on handcuffing me, make sure I'm not packin' smart ass." Max warned moving her jacket aside and placing the tool she used to pick the lock in.   
  
"There's nothing you can do, he's on his way. It's been 20 minutes since I called him and I'm sure he's gonna show up real soon. It's OVER MAX!" he shouted as she slowly circled him like a hungry lion.   
  
"Please." she said the spun around and sent her right leg out trying to kick him in the back of his head.   
  
Expecting it, he moved his head to the left slightly and grabbed her leg over his shoulder. Ben easily flipped her over his head and she came crashing to the ground in front of him. Max kicked him in the side then rammed her heel into his face. Ben stumbled back in pain. Max did a backhand spring, landing on her feet with her fists raised to her chest. Ben moved his hand away from his face seeing the blood. He glared at the blood then slowly raised his mean eyes to her. Max saw the long deep cut the heel of her boot left on the left side of his cheek.   
  
It made her smile, on the inside, even though she wasn't THAT scared of Ben, she knew if he saw her smile at what she had done, there would be hell to pay. Ben walked up sending his right fist flying. Max raised her left hand and blocked his punch from going into her face, but instead it landed in her arm. Max then sent her right fist towards his face. Ben's tight grip grasped her wrist. Frustrated she rammed her left knee into his stomach and then straighten her left leg out and kicked him in the side and finally punched him hard in the face with her free hand.   
  
Ben stumbled back and just glared at her. Max glared back and then ripped the ponytail holder out, her straight chocolate hair falling to her shoulders, her layers framing her face.   
  
"I bet you think your hot stuff huh Maxie. Since your 'kicking my butt?'" Ben asked whipping dripping blood from his face as he walked slowly up to her.   
  
"Hey if you got it, show it, right?" Max asked kicking him in the stomach making him stumble back away from her.   
  
"Don't get to close to me. I don't want your stupidity near me." she warned.   
  
Ben chuckled a little then sent his right leg at her. Max caught it and flipped him over, like she had done to Jace when she fought her. Ben flipped but caught himself with his hands and grabbed her by the waist with his legs and threw her back first into a wall. Max made a noise of pain as she clenched her teeth together, glaring at him. She WASN'T expecting him to do that. Ben walked up to her, getting close to her.   
  
"Stupidity? You're the one with stupidity." he said then tried to punch her in the left cheek with his right hand.   
  
Max quickly ducked, his hand landing into the concrete, landing on her right side beneath him as plaster from the wall fell on her once his fist came in contact with the wall. Max kicked him in the stomach with her left leg making him wince and stumble back a little. Max jumped out and spun around, doing a roundhouse and kicking him in the face. The force of her kick sent Ben stumbling back chest first into the wall.   
  
Max landed on her feet, shoulder length apart, fists raised and her hair in her face, some strands resting on her lips. One thing she learned once she got put back in Manticore, when she met Alec, was she should never take time out to push her hair away. No matter how far her enemy was, or hurt he was. She learned it the hard way that it only takes a second. So she just left it in her face. Ben tried to punch her but Max dogged it and tried to kick him in the left side with her right leg. Ben grabbed it and sent his fist into her face, the momentum sending her head flying over to her right shoulder.   
  
"You're the one that is going up against us, against Zack, come on Ben you know he could totally kick your butt and hand it too you." she snapped trying to punch him with her right fist.   
  
Ben grabbed it as well and let her leg go, so know he hand her by the wrist. Ben grinned.   
  
"You guys don't scare me, your so predictable." he told her then kicked her in the side.   
  
Max winced and hunched over a little in pain. He took the advantage and punched her again with his left fist sending her head flying to the right again. Ben twisted her arm behind her back and rammed his knee into her stomach. Max hunched over, her teeth clenched together as she groaned in pain.   
  
Ben then grabbed her hair and yanked it up so her neck was up and her head back, next to Ben's face.   
  
"Had enough?" he asked then put all his strength on it and pushed as hard and as fast as he could into her knee.   
  
"Ah." she groaned behind her teeth.   
  
Ben raised it up and did it again and finally spun her around and threw her into a wall. Max smashed into the wall and fell to the ground, he head aching even more now.   
  
Max forced herself up, yet she was still a little wobbly.   
  
"See, so predictable." Ben mumbled to her.   
  
Max took off running at him then right in front of him she jumped up and grabbed a hook and kicked him hard in the face. She then took the advantage as he recovered from her blow and landed on his shoulders, like a 5 year old would sit on his father's shoulders. Max then threw herself backwards, causing Ben to loose his balance and fall backwards. Max landed on her back and with her leg power flipped Ben over her head, causing him to fly into a wall. Max jumped up as Ben fought to get up. She grabbed his jacket and yanked him up, immediately sending her knee into his stomach. Ben hunched over and then Max rolled over on his back, landing on the other side of him and kicked him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground.   
  
"Tell me Mrs. Cleo, were you predicting me to do that!?" she shouted at him.   
  
Ben smiled at her and jumped up and kicked her in the chest. Max flew back a little and landed on her back. Ben smiled and slowly walked up to her.   
  
Suddenly something smashed through the wood. Ben saw someone on a motorcycle come through the building. He watched the machine land and swerve to a stop. Alec casually got off of his bike and noticed Max on the ground. He walked a few steps and looked form Max to his clone.   
  
"Dude, I know you probably like girls in the position as much as I do, but that's just wrong." Alec said grinning, being his usual self.   
  
Ben in anger tried to punch him. Alec quickly dogged him and smiled.   
  
"Don't get mad Benny." Alec said.   
  
"Screw you clone ok, Lydecker didn't say anything about bringing you back to Manticore so I'm gonna get rid of you once and for all!" Ben shouted then tried to punch Alec with him right fist.   
  
Alec blocked it and Ben tried to punch him with his other hand, again Alec blocked it. Ben then kicked him in the side and then raised his foot up and shoved his foot into Alec's chest. Alec kicked him in the side and then sent his knee into his stomach. Ben hunched over clutching his stomach in pain. Alec flipped behind him and wrapped his arm around Ben's neck.   
  
"Gotcha." Alec said behind clenched teeth.   
  
Suddenly his 'mean face' faded.   
  
"Hey you stole my look, I wear the leather jacket's from the leather store freak!" Alec whined.   
  
Ben laughed a little then gathered all his strength and threw Alec over his shoulder and into the wall. Max got up and suddenly something caught her ear. She whipped her head towards the window and ran up to it and looked out.   
  
"Lydecker." she said disgusted as she saw trucks coming.   
  
She then saw a black car leading them as well.   
  
"White." she said with even more disgust.   
  
"Alec we gotta jet now! They're here!" Max screamed at him running towards a door.   
  
"I don't think so girly." Ben said grabbing her by the waist as she ran by, not making it to the door.   
  
Ben spun around and sent Max's head into the window, breaking it, the glass cutting her on the forehead. Ben yanked her out of it and she tripped over his foot behind her feet and she landed on the ground. Alec got up and ran over to Max, yanking her up.   
  
"Get up, come on Max , we gotta go, now!" Alec said practically dragging her to the door.   
  
Suddenly to doors busted open. Alec and Max stopped dead in their tracks as they instinctively backed away. Ames walked in followed by Lydecker. Max glared at him. Some of Ames's men entered through other windows.   
  
Alec looked behind them and then turned around and pressed his back against Max's, so no one could sneak up on them. Alec shivered as he saw 11 men most with teasers, he too hated teasers. But none the less he raised his fists and took the defensive stand, ready to fight.   
  
"End of the line 452." Ames warned.   
  
"Don't think so." Max answered.   
  
Ames smiled and stepped aside, Blade then stepped up beside Ames and Lydecker.   
  
"Crap." Max said to herself.   
  
Alec sighed.   
  
"Still so confident?" Lydecker asked her.   
  
Max looked from Ames to Lydecker to Blade then glared and rose her fists to her chest, telling them to bring it on. Blade then started running after her as did the 11 men and Ben.   
  
Suddenly the large window above them smashed, Krit flew through it, landing on his feet on the right side of Max and punched Ben away.   
  
Tinga landed behind 3 out of the 11 men and started taking them out. And finally Zack landed in front of both Alec and Max. Blade grinned.   
  
"Zack." Lydecker said smiling.   
  
Krit ducked and fought Ben fierily, as Tinga and Alec disabled most of the 11.   
  
"Krit!" Tinga called getting his attention.   
  
Krit looked over at his sister and she threw a teaser at him. Krit caught it and looked back at Ben who was charging at him.   
  
"Haha, sorry big bro." Krit said the hit him with it.   
  
Ben groaned and fell to the ground and immediately started shaking. Krit smiled in pride then looked over at Tinga and Alec and ran to their aid. Zack glared at Blade.   
  
"Trying to take my sister away, ha, you have to deal with me first." Zack warned.   
  
Blade lunged at Zack, Zack grabbed Blade's shoulders and flipped him over his head. Blade landed on his feet easily and sent his leg into Zack's back. Zack flew with extra force and landed a few feet in front of Ames and Lydecker.   
  
Max saw Blade making his way towards Zack so she ran up the side of the wall and kick Blade in the side of the head with both her feet one after the other before landing. Blade turned around and looked evilly at her.   
  
"You did just realize you made a HUGE mistake right?" he asked her.   
  
"Bring it on tin can." she said.   
  
Blade threw his punch towards her, Max blocked it but barely. Max punched him in the face and spun around and kicked him in the chest. Blade, furious, tried to kick at her bud Max did 2 backhand springs and a back tuck, getting away from him.   
  
Suddenly Ames wrapped his arm around her throat. Max grasped Ames's bicep as she saw Blade laugh and smile at her.   
  
"Not today big guy." Krit said tackling him away from Max.   
  
Tinga helped Zack up as the 11 guys were all taken care of and out cold. Blade punched Krit off him and then made his way back to Max who was still being held by Ames.   
  
"What the hell you think your doing?" Alec asked kicking Blade away from her.   
  
Lydecker raised an eyebrow as he watched all the others fight Blade off. Lydecker then walked in front of Max and grabbed her chin, examining her. Max struggled but Ames violently tightened his grip which caused her to stop.   
  
"Haven't came in contact with you for a long time Max." he said then opened her mouth.   
  
"Good dentinal hygiene." he noted.   
  
He then lifted her shirt up a little, looking at her stomach and abdomen.   
  
"Good abs muscles." he added then looked at her bicep and arms.   
  
"Good upper body strength." he said.   
  
He then felt her thigh which kind of made Max feel uncomfortable and like kicking at him but considering the position she was in, she didn't   
  
"And good leg muscles. Well solider I'll give you credit, you've been taking good care of yourself out here. Better than Jondy was." he said looking at her.   
  
"Donald. Just so you know, and are warned. I'm coming after her." she said then kicked him in the stomach and threw her head back into Ames head who lead go in shock.   
  
Max front flipped in front of both of them then turned around and jumped up high in the air and kicked both Ames and Lydecker in the face at the same time. Max landed on her feet and kicked Lydecker in the face and drived her elbow into Ames back, both landing on the ground.   
  
Max picked Ames up by his collar in one hand and picked Lydecker by the collar in the other hand.   
  
"Sorry, I can't remember, have you 2 met before!?" Max asked them then smashed their heads together.   
  
Both Ames and Lydecker fell back, unconscious.   
  
"Night boys." Max said looking at them.   
  
Max then focused her attention to the other action. She winced as she saw them getting their butts kicked. Max then ran over to Ben, where a teaser was lying beside him. Max hovered over him and smiled.   
  
"Wow, looks like your in a sucky position huh bro?" Max asked.   
  
Ben glared at her and clenched his teeth.   
  
"If only I could move." Ben hissed at her.   
  
Max laughed at him.   
  
"But the point is, you can't, so screw you Benny." she said then stood up.   
  
Max watched Blade pick Alec up and throw him into Krit and Zack, knocking all 3 to the ground. Max ran up behind him and jabbed him with the thing. Blade howled and before he started shaking and got paralyzed for 3 hours, he grabbed Max and threw her though the wall.   
  
"Max!" Zack said running through the hole in the wall.   
  
The others followed.   
  
"Are you ok!" Tinga shouted at her.   
  
Krit helped Max sit up.   
  
"Yea, it's just that I've been ran into a pole, punched in the face numerous times, had my head slammed into walls AND MY OWN KNEE, and I have the biggest headache anyone could ever imaging." Max said cradling her head.   
  
Zack helped her up.   
  
"Let's go, Logan is in the car hidden, let's jet before they wake up." Zack answered leading his pack away and to Logan's car. 


	11. Car, Teasers and scratches

AUTHOR'S NOTES-  
  
HERE GUYS NEXT CHAOTER, NOT ALL THAT GREAT AND NOT THAT ACTION PACKED ACTUALLY TO ME KINDA BORING, NEXT CHAPTER WILL BE BETTER! I PROMISE!  
  
THANKS  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
*****CARPE DIEM*****  
  
NaT  
  
Max sat in the front seat next to Logan, who drove silently. Zack looked out of the side of the window as did Krit and Tinga just looked down at her feet. Alec was smashed in between Tinga and Krit, feeling very packed in there. He left his bike there, not really wanting it anymore besides, he ruined it from smashing into the wall to get Max.   
  
"So spill." max replied breaking the ice.   
  
All of them looked at her.   
  
"Spill what?" Logan asked as he glanced at her before returning his eyes on the road.   
  
"How did you guys know where I was?" Max asked.   
  
"Well I just asked someone if some guy that looked identical to me dragging a girl came by ad he pointed me in the direction. Checking in the barn was just pure luck." Alec replied.   
  
"Reasonable, what about you Zack? And Ting and Krit?" she asked.   
  
"After you didn't come back for a while Zack was starting to worry, all of us were." Krit started.   
  
"Then Logan did a surveillance check and found only records of you at the crash." Tinga added.   
  
"Then we saw Ben drag you away. I knew he would take you there because I just know Ben." Zack ended.   
  
Max shook her head.   
  
"Thanks, a lot. All of you. At first I was on fire but then I started getting my ass kicked." Max admitted.   
  
Each one of them said 'your welcome' in his or her own way and it then returned back to silence.   
  
"You know just to point out, you guys were getting you butts kicked pretty hard too." Max said.   
  
"Jeeze I know, Alec has such a hard head!" Krit said, making them all laugh.   
  
"Well if I' m correct, Blade only has 2 and ½ weeks before the red solider nail kills him. So you know it might end there." Logan pointed out.   
  
"It could……or they could just make another one, even more than one at once. They saw what it did to us, totally kicked our asses out there. No way would they stop making them if they know it works." Max said sadly.   
  
NO one said anything, because deep down they all thought the same thing.   
  
"They're going to be mad, when they all wake up." Max added.   
  
"Ben's gonna kill me!" Krit said.   
  
"I gotcha back Krit, Ben's not the one that scares me." Zack said placing a hand on his shoulder.   
  
"Well he scares me." Krit mumbled.   
  
"Ok, can we just drop the subject please?" Tinga asked.   
  
Max was thankful she said that, she too wanted to drop it.   
  
"No Tinga we just can't drop it, we gotta talk about this, we need a plan." Zack said.   
  
"Well what, we obviously can't take him down all together." Alec said.   
  
"I don't know!" Zack said raising his voice in frustration.   
  
"Well if Zack doesn't know then we're screwed." Krit added.   
  
"You'll guys think of something, your all smart. You just need to try and relax and think." Logan replied.   
  
"We can't hide forever Zack." Krit said sadly.   
  
"Either they'll get us or we'll crack." he added.   
  
"Then I guess the only other option is to kill Blade and somehow stop Ames and Lydecker." Max answered.   
  
"Like killing them. I don't have a problem with that." Tinga answered.   
  
"Well not what I had in mind" Max said.   
  
"Come on Max, it's the only way to end this whole thing for good." Alec said.   
  
"They'll get someone worse." Max shot back.   
  
"Who could possible be worse than Lydecker?" Zack asked.   
  
"Who could possible be worse than Ames!?" Alec added.   
  
"You can be surprised what kinda people are out there in the world." Max said turning around towards them.   
  
"Good point." Krit said looking at Zack then at Tinga.   
  
"Logan, stop the car." Max ordered.   
  
Immediately Logan slammed on the brakes.   
  
"Ow!" Krit said.   
  
"Max, what's up?" Alec asked.   
  
"Manticore men, we need to get out of this car now." Max said opening her door and jumping out.   
  
Logan followed her lead, no questions asked as did the others.   
  
"Follow me." she answered darting down an alley way, the others followed as she ran down the end of the alley and looked to her right. She then smiled as she saw a sewer lid.   
  
"Oh no, not this crap again!" Krit whined.   
  
"Shut up ok." Max said moving it off the top.   
  
"Go" she ordered.   
  
All piled down the sewer and Max covered the top and jumped down.   
  
"Ah, too many memories." Alec replied.   
  
"Sh, follow me." Max ordered.   
  
The gang crept silently down the mazes of tunnels and up one latter, back into the road right in front of Joshua's house.   
  
"Wow, you are good." Tinga said smiling.   
  
"Thanks" she said as they walked in Joshua's home, to the site of Joshua sitting in a chair upside down, asleep.   
  
"Why don't we all get some sleep, deal with this in the morning." Zack suggested.   
  
Everyone shook their head in agreement as everyone was tired. Max looked at Zack who rolled her eyes to her.   
  
"Even you Max, can you at least try?" Zack asked once everyone left the room and headed upstairs, except for Joshua who was still sleeping upside down in a lazy boy.   
  
"Zack, if I don't need it, I don't need it." she answered.   
  
Zack then sat down.   
  
"Aren't you going to go to bed?" she asked.   
  
Zack looked at her.   
  
"I can't sleep. I can barely close my eyes." he said sadly.   
  
"But I bet your body needs to restore itself especially after battling Blade which I am sure we'll cross paths with again." she said sitting down next to him.   
  
"Next time we cross paths, I'm gonna shoot him." he said taking out a gun.   
  
"Right here." he said pointing it at the middle of her forehead.   
  
Max shivered, she hated guns.   
  
"And if that doesn't kill him, I'll do it again, and again, before I'm through with him, he'll look like Swiss cheese." he said.   
  
Max looked at him and grinned as if he was some insane person.   
  
"Max, I need to stop him before he gets someone hurt or captured." he said.   
  
"I know, I know, I understand." Max answered.   
  
Zack shook his head and shoved it in his jacket.   
  
"And what about Lydecker and White?" she asked.   
  
Zack looked into her eyes.   
  
"I'll kill them too." he answered.   
  
"Zack, I don't think killing them is gonna solve anything." she said sadly.   
  
"Don't you want to be free from their trap Max?" Zack asked.   
  
"Of course I do, it's just I'm just afraid something bad is going to happen." she said.   
  
"You gotta take risks in life Max, if I never took risks, we would still be back at Manticore." he said.   
  
"I know, just be careful ok, I spent 9 years looking for you and I don't wanna loose you for good when I just found you." she said.   
  
Zack smiled and hugged her.   
  
Zack, Tinga, Krit, Max, and Alec walked down the street.   
  
"And what are we doing?" Tinga asked.   
  
"Getting my bike back from the Crash." Max answered.   
  
"And Logan's car." Alec added.   
  
"That too. But more importantly my bike." Max said.   
  
"And why do we all have to go together?" Tinga asked.   
  
"We need as many people as we can get if we should run into someone we don't want to run into." Zack answered.   
  
Tinga shook her head in agreement. Tinga glanced at the people as she walked behind Max and Zack. Suddenly someone grabbed her mouth and grabbed her and silently pulled her back into an alley. Ben shoved his back into the wall as he pulled Tinga deep into him, holding her tightly around the neck and his free hand latched over her mouth. Tinga immediately started struggling.   
  
"Ah, Ah, Ah, Tinga, that's not smart. Don't even try. Your weak, you can't get through." he said tightening his grip.   
  
Suddenly Tinga bit down on his palm hard, causing Ben to let go and smack her.   
  
"ZACK! MAX! KRIT!" She screamed as loud as she possible could.   
  
Zack turned and ran towards the voice, Krit following. Max looked at Alec the ran up to her bike.   
  
"Time to go." Ben said then dragged her down the alleyway, Zack running not far, taking out his gun.   
  
"SHOOT HIM ZACK!" Krit shouted.   
  
Zack aimed and shot at Ben, but Ben dogged it.   
  
"Don't do it Zack. I got Tinga right in front of me, I'll make you shoot her instead of me!" Ben warned shoving her on his bike that looked like Max's only, it was silver and black.   
  
Zack withdrew his pistol, not wanting to take the chance of shooting his sister. Ben laughed then took off down the road. Alec ran up behind them.   
  
Suddenly Max came from a turn and swerved next to him, causing the butt of her bike to knock Ben's bike over, she watched it crash to the concrete.   
  
"Way to go Max." Zack said to himself as they all ran up to her to help her with Ben.   
  
She set down her kickstand and looked at her bike the yanked Ben up by the collar.   
  
"You made me scratch my bike you son of a……..you jerk!" Max shouted at him.   
  
"Have to admit Maxie, impressive." he said.   
  
"Yea well if you think I'm gonna just let you prance off into the sunset with my sister your wrong." she said angrily.   
  
Suddenly Max heard a gun being cocked and felt something cold on her right temple. Zack stopped dead in his tracks as did Alec and Krit, who ran into them.   
  
"Let him go now 452." a raspy voice said.   
  
Max kept her eyes glued on Ben and slowly released him. Ben smiled at her and kicked her in the chest, causing her to stumble back into her bike, the bike tipped over and crashed to the ground as did Max.   
  
"Uh oh now she'll be pissed." Krit whispered to Alec and Zack.   
  
Max clenched her teeth together, forcing herself to maintain control of her temper.   
  
"Stand up slowly and place your hands behind your head." Ames ordered.   
  
Max didn't take her death stare face off of Ben as she slowly got to her feet and placed her hands behind her head.   
  
"Good girl." Ames said grabbing her bicep and yanking her towards him.   
  
Max then elbowed him in the face and kneed him in the stomach. Ames ignored it and grabbed her chin and back handed her in the face. Zack then raised his gun at Ames.   
  
"Max are you ok?" Zack asked her while she was on the ground.   
  
Max got on her hands and knees and spit out some blood.   
  
"Yea." she said.   
  
Ben then kicked her in the side, causing her to fall to the ground again.   
  
"No!" she said clutching her stomach.   
  
Zack then shot at Ben's tires, deflating it.   
  
"Want that to be your head Ben?" Zack asked him.   
  
Ben only smiled at him.   
  
Suddenly a car swerved around, shooting bullets at them. Zack hit the ground for cover and covered Max's body with his so no bullets hit her.   
  
"Zack." Max cried scared.   
  
Krit did the same to Tinga and Alec just hit the ground. Zack closed his eyes tight and prayed no one got shot. Suddenly Krit felt someone kick him off and grab Tinga. Once the shooting was over Zack looked up as did everyone else seeing the car drive away.   
  
"DAMIT!" Zack shouted as he stood up.   
  
"Tinga, no!" Krit shouted as well.   
  
Max jumped up and got on her bike, starting the engines, hearing them roar.   
  
"Max no!" Zack shouted but it was too late and all that heard him was the others and Max's dust.  
  
Max ganged up on them in the highway. She clenched her teeth and leaned closer to her bike, hoping that her will power was helping her bike go faster.   
  
"Go, Go, Go, Go!" she told her bike.   
  
Once close enough she jumped off her bike and onto the rook of their car. She turned her head and saw her bike loose balance and fall to the ground. Hating that she did that to her 'baby' she then plunged her fist through the roof. She then grabbed someone's hair and yanked it up. She came face to face with Ben.   
  
"This is for putting that scratch on my bike!" she shouted at him then punched him hard in the face.   
  
"And this, is for kicking me and probably getting another scratch on it!" She shouted and then punched him out of the hole in the roof and onto the hood of the car. Which he just simply crawled back in the car though a window.  
  
"Tinga! Hold on, I'll get you out!" she called.   
  
"Hurry Max PLEASE!" Tinga said lifting her hand up.   
  
Max grabbed it and yanked her up. She got Tinga half way up before someone pulled her back down.   
  
"TINGA!" Max shouted as she pushed her hair out of her way.   
  
"MAX!" Tinga screamed.   
  
Suddenly Ames popped out of the hole and grabbed her by the collar of her jacket.   
  
"Don't worry 452, you'll get your turn soon enough." he hissed at her then jabbed her with a teaser.   
  
Max groaned and then fell backwards off the car, landing hard on the ground, shaking as the electricity ran through her. Max looked at the car disappear.   
  
"Tinga." she whispered to herself.   
  
"MAX!" Alec screamed as they ran up to her.   
  
Krit hit his knees, cradling her head and Zack did as well.   
  
"Oh my gosh." Zack said gently taking her arms and legs and moving them, to see if anything was broken.   
  
"I can't feel my body, those dam teasers, he hit me with one, and they got away, with her." Max said starting to cry.   
  
Alec looked sadly at Max then in the direction of the car went.   
  
"Welcome to the club." Krit shared.   
  
"Nothing's broken, your lucky." Zack said.   
  
"THIS SUCKS!" Max screamed. 


	12. End of the joyride

AUTHOR'S NOT- HERE YA GO GUYS NEXT CHAPTER FOR YA! ENJOY!  
  
The 4 transgenics sat in the car, not saying a word. They had found Logan's car and they were in it currently, with Max's motorcycle in the trunk. Logan had given Zack the keys so he was able to drive his car to Joshua's place. Zack held one hand on the wheel, concentrating but not on the road. Krit road shot gun and he just gazed out the window, biting his thumbnail in fear, shock, and confusion. Alec did he same as Krit who sat in the backseat with Max who couldn't move because of the new Manticore teasers Lydecker created, causing anyone to become paralyzed for a full 3 hours after they had been hit. From the place where a person was hit and down that was the part that became paralyzed. If Ames hit her in the foot she could move everything but her foot, if he hit her in the waist she couldn't move anything from her waist down, but considering Ames hit her in the chest, she couldn't move anything but her head. Max laid across the backseat, her feet resting in Alec's lap.   
  
"I can't believe Tinga is gone." Max said sadly breaking the ice.   
  
Krit nodded his head softly in agreement.   
  
"It's just us left. Us 3. We gotta be careful. The incident with Tinga today, we weren't careful. We could have done a lot better." Zack replied.   
  
Somehow Zack always looked on the down side of things but to Max, this time she agreed with him.   
  
"I don't care if I have to handcuff you to me I am not letting either one of you out of my site. I'm not risking it. Not even Alec. I'm guessing White wants you back in Manticore 1, for helping Max all these months, 2 your helping us and 3, your Ben's clone. So you better watch your back." Zack said glancing at him in the rear view mirror.   
  
Alec didn't look at him but just hook his head yes telling Zack that he understood and that he would.   
  
"Everything ok?" Zack asked as he noticed a behavior Alec didn't show very often.   
  
"Fine." Alec mumbled. Max looked at him.   
  
"That's a lie." she said softly.   
  
"Ok fine, besides the fact that I am SCARED SHITLESS, I am watching people drag our kind away and it upsets me, ok." Alec said letting his emotions out.   
  
"It's gonna be ok, we don't belong in there so it'll work out." Krit answered.   
  
"Max, I'm sorry I never understood how hard it is being in your shoes, now I know first hand and no offense sweetheart your life sucks." Alec said. Max grinned.   
  
"That is what I have been trying to tell the whole time." she said.   
  
Alec wanted to smile, give that famous smart-alec, 'Alec' smirk but he couldn't.   
  
"Are you scared?" he asked.   
  
Zack looked at them through the mirror, Krit just listened.   
  
"About which part?" she asked grinning.   
  
Alec then managed to grin a little as well.   
  
"Once we got out and we started hanging out together, I never knew what it was like to have a lunatic chasing me, but after the whole Ames situation, I know and personally I have no clue how you hide it so well." Alec admitted.   
  
"It's not easy if that's what your asking." Max replied.   
  
Zack glanced at Krit who just continued to stare off into space. They remained silent up to the point where they pulled in front of Joshua's house.   
  
Logan walked casually out of the front door smiling to see the fact that is car was still in one piece and not damaged. His smile ended once he saw Zack pick max up from out of the back car and slammed the door shut with his hip.   
  
"Whoa, what happened?" Logan asked running up to them.   
  
"They took Tinga, she's gone, she's theirs. It's coming to an end." Zack said sadly as he walked into Joshua's house, Krit following behind, Alec trudging along behind with Logan, knowing Logan would want the details from him.   
  
"Alec, what happened?" Logan asked placing a hand on the young transgenics shoulder.   
  
"Ben grabbed Tinga, took off in a car, Max tried to stop him and she got hit with a teaser fell off a moving car. She's ok though but can't move, but they're the only 3 left now, and their hopes are getting low. Including mine, I can't help but think that Ames and Lydecker are coming after me as well, for a numerous amount of reasons." Alec responded.   
  
"They probably are." Logan said realizing this as well.   
  
"Logan I don't want to go back to Manticore." Alec said sincerely and in a frightened manner.   
  
"Alec, no one does." Logan answered then walked into Joshua's house, Alec hot on his heels.   
  
Logan saw Max lying down on the couch.   
  
"Don't worry it will wear off in time, meanwhile she just needs to rest." Logan informed her and everyone.   
  
But it was too late for Max already slipped into a deep sleep.  
  
Max tossed and turned violently until suddenly she shot up into a sitting position, Alec jumped a little startled that Max shot up.   
  
"Alec." she said breathlessly.   
  
"Hey are you ok?" Alec asked.   
  
"No, nightares, one reason why I am not a fan of sleeping." Max answered.   
  
Max ran her hand over her face, thankful it was only a dream.   
  
"Wanna talk about it?" Alec asked her.   
  
Max immdediatly shook her head no.   
  
"Ok." Alec replied then got up and left.   
  
Max looked around the room and soon Zack caught her eye. He slowly walked up to her and sat down beside her on the couch.   
  
"You feelin' ok?" he asked.   
  
Max shook her head yes. Zack forced himself to smile at her, trying to not allow her to worry.   
  
Suddenly someone busted through the left wall. Thinking it was an explosion Zack covered Max's head and turned away, so nothing would hit her. Once the rubble subsided Zack slowly let go of max and they both looked in the direction of where the explosion came from. Blade stood there smiling. Max jumped up and ran out of the room. Zack stood up, he knew what Max was doing. Max ran upstair and grabbed Joshua and Logan.   
  
"Please stay low, and don't come out no matter what." she instructed the shoved the door shut.   
  
Krit jumped up.   
  
"Max, what's going on?" Krit asked them.   
  
"He's downstairs." she answered.   
  
Alec's eyes widened and he ran down the stairs to aid Zack. Krit ran his fingers through his hair stressfully but ran down after Alec, followed by Max. Alec watched Zack spin around and leash out his leg kicking Blade in the chest. Blade winced but grabbed his leg and threw him into a wall. Alec then punched him in the face and kneed him in the gut. Trying to make him hunch over, but no dice. Blade only smiled and punch Alec in the nose and front kicked him sending Alec flying backwards.   
  
Max ran forward and jumped up in the air kicking him twice in the facebefore landing her punched him hard in the face. Blade grabbed her arm just as he blocked Krit's side kick, grabbing his leg. Max tried to shake his grip loose as did Krit but he was too strong then swung them into each other, Krit's head coming into contact with Max's head. Both fell down the the ground. Blade yanked Max up by her collar and spun her around and wrapped his arm around her throat. Max clutched his arm in attempt to breath better and to get free.   
  
"Grab the girl, the other's will follow." Blade said to them smiling.   
  
Suddenly Zack shot his gun, the bullet landing in his arm, causing him to drop Max. Zack walked up closer to Blade and started shooting him repeatedly until he was dead on the floor. Max looked at it in horror then raised ehr eyes to Zack.   
  
"It had to be done." Zack answered.   
  
Krit shook his head in agreement.   
  
Suddenly Max's cellphone started ringing. All eyes switched to her, including Zack's. Max took it out of her pocket, pressed a button, and held it up to her ear.   
  
"Go for Max." she answered.   
  
"He's dead, huh 452?" a familiar voice asked.   
  
Max's face turned blank.   
  
"What if he is?" She asked.   
  
Max heard a chuckle over the phone.   
  
"He is, I know he is." Ames answered.   
  
"You seem so sure of yourself." she replied.   
  
Suddenly she heard a gun cock behind her.   
  
"Becuase I watched it all." Ames answered.   
  
Max looked over at Zack who glared at Ames. Bne the showed up shoving Krit against the wall as did a couple of familiars grabbing Alec and Zack. Max looked back at what was happening then back at Ames.   
  
"Sorry Max, the joyride ends here." Ames answered.   
  
Max, infuriated, tried to punch himin the face. Ames grabbed it and then spun her around so that her back was in front of him. He grabbed both of her wrists then whipped her feet out from underneath of her. Max fell to the ground chect firts. Ames then placed his boot in the middle of her back and pushed her arms forward, applying pressure to them. Max groaned in pain but didn't scream, but it did hurt, and beginning to hurt worse.   
  
"Better not move 452, or your arms will break." Ames informed her.   
  
"Max!' Zack called out trying as hard as he could to get free from the familiar's grip.   
  
"Gonna try anything stupid? Or do I have to break every bone in your body before I shove you in the car?" Ames asked her.   
  
Ames saw Max head move side to side, meaning no. Ames let go and grabbed her. Ames nodded his head to one of his familiars who returned the nod and loaded a gun and pointed it to Zack's head, the other 2 did the same to Alec and Krit.   
  
"You even breathe wrong, your friends are dead." Ames warned.   
  
Max looked at him meanly. Ames only grinned and then backhanded her, causing max to fall to the ground. Zack stuggled violetnly, not liking how this guy was treating his sister.   
  
"That was a warning." he told her.   
  
Max ingored him doing that for the sake of her friends.   
  
"Load them up." Ames ordered.   
  
Max looked helplessly at Zack who only returned the glance. 


	13. Bikes are better than cars

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE GUYS IS THE NEXT CHAPTER, BUT I NEED MORE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON PPL REVIEW! J HOPE YOU ENJOY THE CHAPTER!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
*****CARPE DIEM*****  
  
NaTaShA  
  
Ames shoved Max in the back of the his car. Max, loosing her footing because of the hard push, fell basically on top of Alec.   
  
"Ow." she said.   
  
As she forced herself to get up without her hands because her hands were handcuffed behind her back. Ames slammed the door behind her. Krit was on the far side next to the door and behind the driver, Zack next to him, then Alec and then her. They were close together considering they shoved 4 in the back. Lydecker got in the passenger's side of the car and Ames walked around and got into the driver's side.   
  
Soon enough he started driving. Max looked sadly at Joshua's house as it soon faded off into the distance. She looked down as he got on an exit ramp, heading it out of the city.   
  
[Max, what are you doing? Do you have any clue what you are doing? Are you giving in? or are you just being stupid? You've spent the past 10 years running and hiding and now your going to throw it all away just because your stuck in the same car as you 2 archenemies? Come on Max girl, do something! THINK!] Max thought to herself.   
  
Max then slipped one of her picking lock tools out from her back pocket, she always carried one in her back pocket of this situation, because she knew if her hands were cuffed behind her back she couldn't get it out of her jacket. She then slipped the sharp end of the small stick into the keyhole of the hand cuffs. She worked at it as quietly as she could, when suddenly she felt them fall off.   
  
She looked up at Ames, for she was sitting behind the passenger's seat. She studied his face waiting to see if he heard the noise. He didn't take his eyes off the road. She slowly slipped her right hand out from behind her back and placed it on the handle, keeping her eyes on White so if he would look at her or turn around she could quickly pull her hand behind her back.   
  
No one took notice of her at all. Then as fast as she could she pulled the handle, pushed the door open and fell out of the moving car. Ames, hearing the noise jammed on his breaks.   
  
"Dam 452." he hissed as he swerved to a stop.   
  
"RUN MAX, RUN!" Zack shouted.   
  
Max rolled to a stop and didn't waste time caring for her scraps. Max pushed the pain out of her head and got up and ran off the road, jumping over the guard rail and running into the woods. Lydecker got out and ran after her. Ames jabbed each of them with a teaser, making sure that they couldn't move and get away, then he too ran into the woods. Krit grinned.   
  
"That's my girl." he said smiling.   
  
"Yeah, smart, but of course they couldn't pull over, we're sitting right in the middle of the highway." Alec said watching cars going around them.   
  
Max ran as fast as she could ducking low limbs and pushing branches of leaves out of her way. For some reason, it seemed, her body was reacting to this situation like a human would. Her adrenaline was flowing rapidly, her legs seemed like Jell-O and wobbly, and she was short of breath. To be honest with herself, she didn't know why she was acting like this.   
  
She wondered if any of the others made it out of that car, probably not and even considering that thought made her feel so bad. He heart pounded hard against her chest and it felt as if pressure was squeezing it. Soon she couldn't take it anymore and had to stop.   
  
She touched a tree to help her hold herself up, breathing deeply but exhaling quietly, not to loud to give her position away. Max looked behind her then to her left and then right with one of her eyebrows raised. She saw nothing and heard nothing. She then took a couple steps then suddenly saw a foot coming at her. It smacked her in the face and back against a tree. Max looked up and saw Ames.   
  
"I suppose you thought that was funny 452?" he asked her.   
  
Max said nothing. Ames then sent his leg at her. Max caught it and then punched him in the face then shoved his leg at him, sending his own knee into his stomach. Max then took the advantage and moved away from the tree so she wouldn't be cornered and limited of what she could do.   
  
Ames tried to punch her but she ducked. He then tried to punch her again with the other fist once she stood up, but again she ducked. Ames spun around and sent his leg out, catching her face as she stood up. Ames then grabbed a branch, that was skinny and flew it at her. Max caught it and then spun around and flipped him over her shoulder with it. Ames landed with a thud on his back on the ground, Max did a back flip and held the stick ready for him to attack.   
  
Ames picked up another one. And sent it at her. Max blocked it's blow near her head and immediately jumped up, dogging the stick as Ames whirled it right where her feet would have been, trying to swipe them out from underneath of her. Max then swung it near his groin, which he blocked. Max then shoved the top of her stick into his face. Ames stumbled back from the blow in the face and then glared at her. Max smiled and threw the stick aside and raised her fists.   
  
Max then did a cartwheel then a back walk over, kicking the stick out his hands. Ames tried to punch her but she blocked it and he then tried to kick her, but she raised her right leg and blocked his kick. Ames then back handed her, sending her head flying over her right shoulder. Max backed up a little glaring at him who he only glared at her back. Suddenly she jumped as high as she could, doing a back flip just as Lydecker ran under her. Lydecker, trying to stop, ran into Ames as Max landed on her feet.   
  
She grinned as she saw then men struggle to their feet, she knew Lydecker was running at her from behind. Lydecker and Ames glared at her, both clueless to what they were going to do to catch her.   
  
Suddenly Ben came up from behind her and shoved her head first into a tree. Max groaned as her head made contact with it and she hit the ground, landing on her back, her head lying on her left shoulder and her legs straddled apart.   
  
Ben exchanged glances with both of them then slowly walked up beside her and squatted down beside her and looked at her, checking to see if she was conscious or not.   
  
Suddenly her eyes flew open and she grabbed Ben by the neck. She stood up and took him with her, holding him way above her head. Ames then ran around her and up behind her, grabbing her right hip and shoving her into the teaser. Max dropped Ben immediately as she shook violently, the pain causing her to fall to the ground and shake still as electricity flowed through her body. The next thing she knew her body felt numb and she couldn't move.   
  
"Ow." Ben mumbled as he got up rubbing his butt.   
  
Ames sighed in relief then looked at Lydecker who only looked at her back.   
  
Max lied on her bed. She could feel her body now, the teaser wore off. She looked around her 'new room.' There were 20 bunks, 20 lined up side by side on the right, and 10 lined up side by side on the left. The front of the bed up against the dull wall and the back ended enough to allow a person to walk through. The sheets were gray, go figure, and the only 3 windows had bars on them, in both directions, so that there were tiny, tiny , little squares. She was changed into her famous Manticore uniform.   
  
As she laid on the bed, her thoughts drifted to Joshua and Logan, she wondered if they were ok and could only imagine their faces when they realized that her, Alec, Krit and Zack were gone. Suddenly the front door opened.   
  
She glanced over and saw a guard coming towards her. She sat up on her bed.   
  
"Follow me." he ordered as he picked her up by her bicep and lead her out of the empty room.   
  
She walked down the busy halls of the place, seeing other cells, and lots of people dressed in all white. The guard lead her into a room which he shoved her into a seat and then walked out slamming the door shut behind him. Max looked around. She saw a large desk, with a black leather chair sitting behind it, on the desk was a computer, picture frames and lots of files on it. She looked around and saw a black leather couch, with file cabinets, framed degrees, etc.   
  
Max tucked her long hair behind her ear and the turned the picture frame around a little bit, hoping it would give her a clue to where she was. She then saw the White family portrait. She quickly turned it back around and sat back in her seat, placing her hands on her lap. Now she was nervous.   
  
Normally she didn't fear Ames, but while she was in here, he scared the crap out of her.   
  
Suddenly she heard the door open and then close. He stomach then went up into her throat as she tried to swallow the lump in her throat.   
  
"Hello 452." he said slyly as he slowly walked around her and sat down behind his desk facing her.   
  
Max didn't say anything.   
  
"Happy to be home, 'Max'?" he asked her.   
  
Max rose her eyes to his then just lowered them down to the floor.   
  
"What's this? No smart ass remarks? What? You loose your annoying attitude once you realize that you're in an environment that could possibility hurt you if you do act smart?" Ames asked her crossing his arms across his chest as he leaned back slightly in his chair.   
  
"So what?" she asked.   
  
Ames chuckled.   
  
"I see." he answered.   
  
Max then looked at him.   
  
"Where are my brothers? And Alec?" she demanded.   
  
Ames rose an eyebrow at her.   
  
"Please." she added softly.   
  
Ames lowered his eyebrow and sighed as he got up.   
  
"All of your 'siblings' are in the same barracks, like the old days. With the exception with new transgenics. They're out training right now, you couldn't considering your little accident with the teaser." he answered.   
  
Max shook her head in understanding.   
  
"Your lucky, I didn't shoot one of them for after the stunt you pulled on me in the car." he added.   
  
Max looked at him again.   
  
"Why didn't you?" she asked.   
  
"Lydecker told me not too." he hissed at her. Max then loved Lydecker for saving them. And it was probably his idea to keep the 12 together in the same room, she was also thankful about that so now she had someone to keep her company when she couldn't sleep.   
  
"Now, before I send you out to the field where you train at, we have some personal business to discuss." he said as he walked in front of her and leaned up against her desk.   
  
Max looked at him as he looked down at her.   
  
"Where is my son?" he asked meanly.   
  
Max shrugged. Ames fought to keep his anger in.   
  
"I'm going to ask you again 452, WHERE THE HELL IS MY SON!" he yelled at her.   
  
"On your desk." she said, meaning the picture of him.   
  
Ames then rose his hand to strike her and instantly Max turned her head to the right a little, pulling her shoulder up close to her cheek, bracing herself for the hit.   
  
Ames looked at her then lowered his hand, deciding not to hit her. Noticing that Ames hasn't hit her yet she opened one eye and then relaxed, looking at him. Ames slowly set his left hand on the back of the chair and placed his right hand on the arm rest, moving his face close to hers.   
  
Max looked at into his mean eyes, trying her best to keep a straight face.   
  
"You better start obeying, respecting, and cooperating with me 452, or you're going to find yourself doing a lot more than that when I come near you." he said lowly yet he hissed it at her.   
  
Max fought to keep a straight face as chills sent down her spine. Ames grinned slightly, seeing her discomfort.   
  
"Get up, I'll get the information out of you yet, but now your going to training." he ordered yanking her up.   
  
"Go." he barked at her shoving her out of his door and following her down the hall, shutting his door on the way out. 


	14. Manticore Games

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS, SORRY IT TOOK SO LONG FOR ME TO UPDATE, BUT I HAD A WRITER'S BLOCK! SO HERE IT IS, DON'T WORRY LOTS OF SCENES WITH THE SIBS TOGETH COMING UP;)  
  
LOVE ALL, AND DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!!!!!  
  
NaTaShA  
  
Ames pushed Max forcefully down the hall of Manticore. She looked around the place, taking in what was offered to her eyes, getting to know the place, know where things are, when she escaped again, it would be helpful. She glanced to her right and looked through a large window, seeing into another room. Max stopped, not meaning too but the sight horrified her. She saw a transgenic on the table, being tortured, Max guessed for some reason that he knew something that Manticore wanted from him. In other words, Psyops.   
  
Ames stopped as well, with a raised eyebrow he looked in the direction in which she was, wanting to know why she stopped and what she was looking at. A smile stretched across her face once he realized her eyes were fixed on the room.   
  
"Better be careful 452, or you'll buy yourself a one way ticket in there." Ames whispered to her in her ear.   
  
Then suddenly he shoved her to the ground. Max fell and knocked a tray of tools (ones that a surgeon would use) over, all of them falling to the ground, including the tray, making a loud crash. Max covered her head as the sharp tools fell. Startled, everyone looked at Max then at Ames then back at Max.   
  
"I didn't tell you to stop 452. Get up." he ordered.   
  
Max glared at him as she moved her hands off her head.   
  
"I said get up." he yelled at her then grabbed the collar of her shirt and yanked her to her feet.   
  
Once up he shoved her violently down the hall.   
  
"Go." he barked as he led her outside.  
  
The bright sunshine shown down on them as Ames swung the door open. Max saw all the transgenics outside. On one side of the training field, they were doing combat frightening against each other. On the other side of the field, where Lydecker was at, they were doing push ups. Ames clutched Max's arm and led her over to Lydecker who was barking,   
  
"Up, Down, Up, Down, Up, Down" Lydecker saw them out of the corner of his eye and turned to greet them, the transgenics followed the rhythm even when Lydecker wasn't looking.   
  
"Ames welcome and Max, nice to see you up and about." Lydecker said.   
  
"I'm sure you are." she mumbled.   
  
Ames grinned and glanced at the transgenics.   
  
"Wow, 7 hours in Manticore and you already got 'em broke Donald, impressive." Ames admitted.   
  
"Ah, it's fear is what does it." he shared.   
  
"Well this is one female transgenic you won't break." she added.   
  
Lydecker then grabbed her chin, then just chuckled.   
  
"I can, if I hit a soft spot Max, and believe me, you have many soft spots." he said throwing her down.   
  
"Start doing your push ups." he ordered.   
  
Max groaned and walked beside Zack and Krit and started doing push ups, instantly getting into the rhythm that the other's where doing it as. While walking to her spot, she noticed Jace, Jondy, Alec, and all the others.   
  
"Nice to see your up and walking." Zack shared as he pushed up and exhaled hardly.   
  
"Tell me about it." Max mumbled.   
  
"Didn't miss much at all." Krit said going down and pushing up.   
  
"Yeah, well I wish I could miss a whole lot more." Max added.   
  
"Don't we all." Alec said jumping into the conversation.   
  
Max watched Lydecker say goodbye to Ames and watched Ames walk away to the other side of the field, to watch the other transgenics fight. They're weren't a lot there. They either killed most of them or they were on a different continent and haven't located them yet. Lydecker then returned his eyes to the group that was doing push ups and continued saying 'up, down, up, down, up down.'   
  
Max struggled a little to maintain the rhythm of the demanding exercise. She wasn't used to doing this many pushups in a row and it was beginning to take a toll on her body, as she felt her biceps and her abs burn, saying they were tired already. Lydecker glanced from transgenic to transgenic watching them as he yelled his command. He then saw Max and grinned.   
  
He walked down the line of transgenic, stopping next to Max. He then placed his right foot on her back, putting all his weight on it, pushing on it as hard as he could. Max groaned as she continued as best as she could to the exercise. She came up more slowly and weaker as she felt the weight on her back.   
  
"Come on MAX! PUSH THROUGH IT! I don't want your chest to touch the ground, understand solider!? If it does, your going to be in a world of trouble!" Lydecker shouted at her.   
  
Max let herself down and then tried as hard as she could to push up, trying to push through his force he was putting against her. Not able to take it, her arms gave way and she fell to the ground. Lydecker shook his head in shame as he looked at her. Flipped on her back, her elbows holding her up, looking at him, frightened, waiting on what he was going to do, the same face Max gave Brin when she and Zack got Tinga and her family out of Lydecker clutches.   
  
Lydecker the sent his fist towards her. Zack glanced up, saw the action, jumped up, ran in front of her and caught his fist in his left hand, just in time.   
  
"ZACK!" Lydecker said amazed yet infuriated.   
  
Zack let go and stood in alert.   
  
"Permission to explain sir." he said.   
  
"Please do!" Lydecker said in anger.   
  
"Sir, my sis- 452, has not been in Manticore in 5 months sir, she is not used to the expectations of you sir, allow her to get her feet on the ground, before I or you lay any physical punishment on her, I ask of you." he said, keeping his gaze straight ahead.   
  
"So your asking me not to hit her because she has failed to accomplish what I am telling her to do?" Lydecker asked stepping closer to him.   
  
"Just this one time sir." he answered.   
  
Lydecker looked at Max who froze and just looked at him back.   
  
"Ok, fine, but just this once. You get a life line Max, next you won't be so lucky, that's a warning." Lydecker said pointing at her.   
  
"Get in formation" he barked then turned and walked over to Ames on the other side of the field.   
  
Zack realized and breathed easy, then turned around and held out his hand for Max. Max took it and Zack helped her to her feet.   
  
"You have to be strong Max, and careful. I can't defend you much longer against them, for right now, it's best if you just listen to them and do as they say, until I figure a way to get us out, ok?" he asked.   
  
Max shook her head yes in understanding. Krit jumped up and ran up to them.   
  
"Max, you ok?" he asked.   
  
Max shook her head yes. Jondy then ran up to her and hugged her tightly, happy to see her again. As did all the others including Alec, Zane, Jace, and everyone.   
  
"Ok, come on people, get in formation!" Zack shouted at them.   
  
All ran to their places and stood in attention, hands at side, back straight, feet together and chin up and looking straight. Max stood where she was and looked hopelessly at Zack.   
  
Zack walked up to her and put his arms on her shoulders and her back and gently pushed her to the spot where she was suppose to stand. Zack was about ready to take his position back in the front, but he then stopped. He straightened up her back and placed a finger under her chin and rose her head up higher. Zack grinned.   
  
"No matter what they do or say Max, just don't stop looking forward. Ok, NO MATTER what. And don't take back. Just agree with everything." he whispered to her then walked in front of his group and stood straight.   
  
Lydecker and Ames then walked up beside Zack.   
  
"Mr. White and I have decided to send you on a little game." he replied. "In the woods, your mission, to kill your enemies and make it back here. Your enemy will be more than one and they are X7 kids, but that doesn't mean they aren't as fast as you, as athletic as you and as smart as you. You are to kill all 6. Under no circumstances should any be living by the time you are finished. Understood?" he asked.   
  
"Yes sir!" all of them shouted.   
  
Ames walked up beside Max.   
  
"Favorite game huh 452?" he asked, knowing she HATED this game. Max looked at him but said nothing.   
  
And saying nothing back was one of the hardest things she had done.  
  
Lydecker walked down the row of them, it was nightfall and pitch dark besides the spots where there were big streetlights on the woods. The only light source besides the moon they had.   
  
"The 6 are out there, hiding and waiting. Like I said I want them dead, all of them. If you fail, let's just say I'll make it so you never want to fail again. And don't bother trying to escape. The anklet you have around your ankle is a teaser, it'll paralyze you and give a warning to us on our main computer, tells us you location and everything, so don't try." he said looking at Max.   
  
{So that was what that gay thing was that the guard put on} Max thought to herself.   
  
Lydecker walked up to Max and held a gun to her. Max glanced at it then took it.   
  
"Ok, go." he ordered. Zack took off with the others, including Max, following, on her way she hurled the gun over a fence. Lydecker laughed at it as he watched them disappear into the forest. They ran over a bridge like thing over a series of sharp rocks onto a back of a hillside. Zack held out his fist, telling them to stop.   
  
Zack turned around and did a series of hand motions, splitting them up. Zack then pointed at Max and then pointed straight ahead. Max nodded telling him she got it. He then did one hand motion that meant to meet back here in 15 minutes no matter what. All of them nodded and soon they split up, running in every direction.   
  
Max ran straight and then slowed her pace once she heard everything go to silence almost. Max looked around, seeing the Manticore facility in front/ under her. Max looked around and just saw trees. Max then shoved her elbow behind her, feeling it hit something. Max spun around and saw one of the little kids. The kid threw it's leg at her which she caught and them punched her in the face and spun around and kicked her in the stomach.   
  
The kid then hit the ground and tried to whip Max's feet out from underneath of her. But Max jumped up and grabbed a tree branch and pulled herself up and flipped over it, landing on her feet behind the kid. Max then kicked her hard in the chest and the girl stumbled back into a tree. Max pinned her there by the shoulders.   
  
"Your going to kill me aren't you? Lydecker said this was a game with teasers, but he sent you to kill us didn't he?" she asked sadly.   
  
Max looked into her sad blue eyes. How could she kill this person? This KID? Suddenly a fire went off that made Max jump. She saw the girl fall dead to the ground and Max turned around in full alert. She saw Zack lower his gun.   
  
"Zack-" she said sadly.   
  
"Max, I know what you are going to say, ok. It's hard for me too which is exactly why I followed you, I know you can't use guns anyway, and you hardly ever kill anybody. I knew this would happen. That's why I followed, I saved you ok." he whispered to her.   
  
Max shook her head, agreeing with every word he said.   
  
"Come on, let's go." he said seeing someone coming towards them.   
  
Zack grabbed Max's bicep and the 2 ran through the woods. Max glance back and saw mutants chasing them.   
  
"What's going on!?" Max yelled at Zack as the 2 ran as fast as they could dogging trees and ducking under limbs.   
  
"Lydecker might be testing us and sent something extra that he didn't tell us about! Just run Maxie!' he yelled back.   
  
They saw the rest of their group ahead.   
  
"ON YOUR FEET WE GOT MUTANTS AFTER US, GO BACK WHERE WE STARED NOW!!!!" Zack shouted running.   
  
All jumped to their feet and followed Zack. Max ran beside Alec in the back across the bridge.   
  
Ames grinned.   
  
"Now." he said into his walki talky.   
  
Suddenly something exploded, blowing a chunk out of it, throwing Max off balance. Max waved her arms in every direction trying to stay on the bridge. It didn't work and she fell over the edge. But while Max was on the bridge fiddling, around trying to maintain her balance, a piece of rope used to keep the boards together wrapped around her ankle and stopped her from falling.   
  
"GUYS!" Max screamed trying to pull herself up, but the rope was digging into her skin, hurting it.   
  
Zack stopped and closed his eyes in pain as he hear Max scream for him.   
  
"Zack, don't, you know you'll get in trouble with Lydecker if you stop. Max will be ok, she recovers fast and can take care of herself. Just go," Zane said.   
  
Zack thought then turned around and ran back for Max. Zane rolled his eyes and ran to catch up with the others. Zack ran as fast as he could and ran to the middle of the bridge and hit on his stomach, looking over the edge.   
  
"Max!" Zack shouted.   
  
"Zack! What are you doing here!" she scolded him.   
  
Zack grabbed a hold of the rope used as a guardrail and leaned as far as he could over the edge, grabbing Max's wrist.   
  
"Undo the rope Max." he ordered.   
  
Max was in a sitting position so she could untie the knot from her ankle with her free arm. Max then was free from it, when suddenly the bridge fell. Zack jumped up and grabbed the edge of the back with his hand. Zack looked down to see Max holding on. Zack them pulled her up with his one hand until she was hugging him basically.   
  
"Go Max." he said placing a hand on her butt and pushing her over the edge and on top of the bank.   
  
Max rolled to a stop as Zack placed his other had on the side and easily rose himself up, to safety.   
  
"Max, are you ok?" he asked running over to her and looking at her ankle.   
  
"It feels bruised or sprained." she answered.   
  
"Yea, might wanna stay off it for a little while. Come on we got to get back." he answered pulling her right arm around her neck and taking her by the waist and walked slowly as she limped back.   
  
Lydecker was pacing impatiently as the others stood in alert. Soon Zack and Max emerged from the forest.   
  
"Where the hell where you!" he screamed at them.   
  
"Fallen solider sir." he answered as he sit her down on the ground.   
  
"She messed up, and what are YOU going to do about it Zack?" he asked.   
  
Zack looked at him.   
  
"Punish her." he ordered.  
  
Zack looked at Lydecker blankly then at Ames who was studying him.   
  
"Sir, I think-"   
  
"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU THINK SOLDER! Do it now!" He shouted at him.   
  
Zack slowly turned around and walked up to Max. She saw his hand make a fist. Max closed her eyes, expecting a beating. Zack saw her do this and he couldn't. Zack turned back around.   
  
"I can't sir." he answered.   
  
Lydecker rose his eyebrows in amazement.   
  
"What?" he asked.   
  
"I can't." Zack answered.   
  
Krit closed his eyes slowly knowing Zack was getting himself in hot water.   
  
"I want you in my office now solider." Lydecker ordered then walked away.   
  
Zack turned towards her.   
  
"Zack, why didn't you just do it!?" max scolded hating that he gets himself in trouble for her.   
  
"Maxi, I couldn't hurt you, even if I tried." he answered, then smiled softly and touched her face.   
  
"Max, I never realized what a true family was. Now I look back at our younger years and we just lived a solider CO relationship, I thought that was how a family lived. But being in the world, I realized it's a lot more deep than that. Max, I'm not your CO, that's not what I want to be to you, that's not my job. My job in your life, is your big brother and nothings going to change that." he said then kissed her on the forehead and started walking back inside, the others following him except for Alec.   
  
Who only watched the tears swell up in her eyes. 


	15. Getting Out

AUTHOR'S NOTE- NEXT CHAPTER UP!! ENJOY AND THIS IS NOT THE LAST CHAPTER! OK:) DON'T FORGET TO REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS!  
  
NaTaShA  
  
Max sat on her bed in her cell, knees at her chest. The others were sleeping still and Zack still hadn't returned. Everything was so quiet and cold feeling here, and she didn't like it. That's why she was going to get out and soon. Suddenly the door opened. She rose her chin off her knees in eagerness to see if it was Zack. Max's hopes died when i guy dressed in black, and spiked brown hair walked in. He looked around at all of the until his eeys fell on Max. Seeing that she was up, he grinned and slowly started walking towards her.  
  
"Maxie, you should be asleep." he told her once he got close to her.  
  
"Go away Ben." she pleaded not looking at him.  
  
"Go away? Is that how you're going to treat your older brother?" Ben asked.  
  
"Just leave me alone Ben." she pleaded again.  
  
"Max, I'm hurt. What's on your mind that you want to tell old Ben about?" Ben asked taking a seat on the edge of the bed beside her, Zack's empty bed.  
  
Max looked at him.  
  
"Please stop playing nice with me, I don't want to talk to you." she scolded at him.  
  
Ben only chuckled softly.  
  
"You know, you should be thanking me, at least your not out in the world running and hiding and having the people and everything else slowly eat away your brian." Ben stated.  
  
"And like being in here is better." she snapped at him.  
  
"You can't afford to have an attitude in here Maxie, you'll get yourself into trouble. And I doubt if Zack wants that." he replied.  
  
"See Ben, thats what gets me. At least out there I can act the way I want to act and not have to train every day and kill people. Now leave me alone!" she told him. Ben looked at her. "I'm not like you Ben, I'm no solider, I'm a person who wants to live a normal fearless life, I don't belong in here, and I don't turn on my own family." she shared with him.  
  
He only glared at her then soon stood up and walked down the row of beds up to the door. Max was thankful once she heard the door close. Then the silence fell again, leaving Max all alone.  
  
"You know that guy freaks me out, right?" A voice asked.  
  
Max turned her head to the bed in front of her, Alec sat up.  
  
"You were awake?" she asked.  
  
Alec nodded then got up and sat down where Ben had sat.  
  
"You ok?" he asked her.  
  
Max nodded. Alec nodded as well then ran his hands over his face.  
  
"Max, we have to get out of here before I go insane." he told her.  
  
"Tell me about it, I can't take it." she agreed.  
  
"Yeah and we better try and think of something soon, considering you and I both know who Eyes Only is, and you better believe they're going to do whatever it takes to get that info." Alec added.  
  
Max's heart stopped.  
  
"I never thought about that issue." she admitted.  
  
"Yea, nor I but it just popped into my head becuase I was thinking about Logan." Alec said grinning.  
  
"YOU were thinking about Logan?" she asked smiling at him, for once a smile.  
  
"Yea, I miss him a lot to tell the truth. I realized how much I missed ever since I've been here. So many people. And I think that if I get out and somehow get a second chance, I would be a lot more different to the people I care for. And would never take living for granted, because I could be stuck here forever." Alec said.  
  
"Don't worry Alec, we're getting out, I just need to think and like you said, soon." Max said.  
  
"You don't think your gonna plan for an escape without me do ya?" Krit asked standing behind Alec.  
  
Max smiled at him.  
  
"You're up too?" Alec asked.  
  
Krit laughed.  
  
"Yea, I have trangenic hearing and you guys woke me up by talking. So what's the plan?" he asked sitting down next to Alec.  
  
"We don't have one yet. But we gotta get out within the next 2 days." she said.  
  
"Why so soon Max?" Krit asked.  
  
"We know who Eyes Only is." Alec said.  
  
Krit's eyes widened.  
  
"Whoa, you do!? Then I suggest you high tail your asses outta here and fast!" Krit said.  
  
"Exactly." she said.  
  
Suddenly Jace, Jondy, Tinga crawled up behind the 2 boys to listen as well.  
  
"Max, we have to get out of here." Jace said.  
  
"I know Jace, we're working on it." Max told her.  
  
"How are we gonna pull this off? They probably made this place more secure after we escaped." Tinga said.  
  
"Um no really, last time Max just ran for it and jumped over but they made the transgenics more secure." Alec answered.  
  
"That's kinda gay." Jondy replied causing Max to smile.  
  
"I have an idea. You guys, tommorrow, when we are out training, I want you to spread the word that we're all getting out. I'm gonna make it to Ames room and punch the button to open all the cells. Tell them I want them to run as hard and as fast as they can. I'm gonna try and do it that evening. I'm sure sometime tommorrow White's gonna come and snatch me, trying to find where his son is at." Max said.  
  
"Ray?" Alec asked wanting to know if that what she was talking about.  
  
"Yea, and he also want's to know who Eyes Only is so I'm sure i'll be meeting up with him soon." Max said.  
  
"You can't be scared." a voice said.  
  
All heads turned toward the front, where Zack was.  
  
"Zack." Max said jumping up and running up to him.  
  
Zack leaned on her as she helped him up. His face was cut and bloodly so was his arms.  
  
"What did they do to you?" she said in a whispher because of the shock.  
  
"Not important. Max, if your going to do this, you can't be scared of him. You gotta push him out of your mind, and just do it. Don't think of consequences." Zack lectured her as she helped him over to the bed where all the others were.  
  
Tinga looked at him tears swelling up in her eyes.  
  
"See, this is exactly why we all gotta get the hell out of here." she said.  
  
"I know, he killed Max, my baby, White did." Jace said in tears.  
  
Zack looked at his sister in shock then look at Max helplessly. Max's mouth dropped as she immediatly hugged her sister, trying to comfort her.  
  
"What was it?" she said softly.  
  
"A girl." she said in between sobs.  
  
"I bet she was beautiful." Zack added trying to help.  
  
"It's not fair, my baby didn't do anything, he should have shot me instead." Jace said crying hardly.  
  
"No, he shouldn't have shot anybody." Max told her.  
  
"Yea, he's just a dick like that." Alec answered.  
  
Suddenly the door opened and all looked at the door.  
  
"All of you should be asleep! You'll be sorry in the morning once I tell Lydecker that you were gabbing all night and he makes your training 20 times more intense." a female voice said.  
  
"Brin." Max said sadly.  
  
"Brin, what the hell did they do to you, your not the sister we all know, your brainwashed. And we can't get you back. Go ahead and tell Lydecker." Zack told her meanly.  
  
"This shows how much we care." Krit answered.  
  
Brin looked at Zack then at Krit then gave up and turned around and walked out.  
  
"I really don't like her." Alec replied.  
  
"Join the club." Jondy answered.  
  
"But she will tell Lydecker that, so I think we should get SOME sleep. You all heard Max, tommorrow, spread the word, but be careful and don't get caught. Some Manticore official over hears you, Max is screwed. Got it?" Zack asked.  
  
All shook their heads and returned to their bed.  
  
Max watched her brothers and sisters talk to some trangenics, saw the transgenic smile, nod and walk away and tell others. The pattern increased. It was about 11:30 pm and lights on the side of the building gave them the source that they needed to fight.  
  
"Bang up job Maxie." Krit said grinning.  
  
"Yea, well we're not in the clear yet." she said.  
  
"Yea. Hey we better start, Ames is looking at us weird." Krit answered.  
  
Max immeditaly threw a side kick, trying to kick Krit in the side. Krit smacked it away, blocking it.  
  
"Think it'll work?" Krit asked ducking Max's punch then grabbed her arm that she tried to punch him with and did a side kick, landing in her back and punched her in the face.  
  
Max stumbled back. Max landed a punch in his face and then tried to kick him with her right leg, but Krit caught it and had ahold of it.  
  
"Don't know." she answered then lifted her free leg up and falling to the ground.  
  
Max caught herself with her hands as she lifted her free leg on the other side of Krit, grabbing him with her legs and flipping him over her head. Krit crashed to the ground as Max somersaulted to a standing position, ready for his next move.  
  
"Nice." he answered.  
  
Max grinned.  
  
"Thanks." she answered.  
  
"You can do it Max, we all can. Though Alec, Zack and I might head back your way to give you some cover, you know?" Krit anwered as they circled each other.  
  
Max shook her head yes. Ames then walked up, holding his hand out to Krit, telling him to stop, which he did.  
  
"452, follow me." he ordered.  
  
Krit widened his eyes then gave thumbs up then a series of hand motions while Ames turned his back, telling her, Zack, Alec and himself would be ready to break her out of a jam. Max nodded then followed Ames inside. The heat and humidity leaving her once she stepped into the air conditioned building.  
  
"Now 452 I'm gonna give you one last chance." Ames told her, then grabbed her by the shoulders and pinned her up against the wall.  
  
"Where the hell is my son?" he demanded.  
  
She glared at him.  
  
"Maybe I shot him, like you shot Jace's kid." she hissed at him.  
  
Ames grinned.  
  
"Had to, had a stupid name." he said relasing her and walking down the empty hallway.  
  
"Yeah, well maybe I had too, it had a stupid name too." Max shot back.  
  
Ames turned around his teeth clenched, helping him keep his anger in.  
  
"I have had it up to here with you, your telling me where my son is." he said grabbing the back of her neck and pushing her foreward.  
  
The 2 walked in as the transgenics were being ushered in for their night's sleep. Max and Ames passed Zack and the others, all trying hard to maintain control. Soon he shoved her into the large Psyops room.  
  
"Get her ready, I'm getting Donald." he ordered the man standing , his back to them, washing his hands.  
  
Then Ames slammed the door shut, locking it from the outside. Max looked at the man who then turned around. Max gasped.  
  
"Logan!" she whisphered.  
  
Logan smiled, his hair slicked back wearing tan pants and a blue t-shirt under a lab coat, with badge and no glasses.  
  
"Max, are you ok?" he asked her.  
  
"I am now." she said.  
  
"Listen, we gotta get you out of here, now. I have a chopper on the room now, everyone thinks it's for mediacl suppplies." he said taking her hand and leading her across the room to the door on the other side of the room.  
  
"Logan, what about my brothers and sisters?" she asked.  
  
"Asha is on her way to the cell now, telling them all to go to the chopper." Logan answered.  
  
"I need to free everyone Logan!' she said stopping him.  
  
"Max, you did that once." Logan replied.  
  
"No but I told everyone that i was punching the button tonight, so go to the chopper, I'll take care of this if I'm not up there in 15 minutes, look for me." she said.  
  
Logan didn't like it but shook his head none the less and then bolted out the door. Max did as well, staying close to the wall and running as quietly as she could to Ames office.  
  
Asha opened the cell door to Max's unit and closed it. Everyone looked at her Zack standing up.  
  
"Ok listen up everyone, I'm a friend of Max and Logan and I are here to get you out. He has a chopper n the roof now, come on, Max will be there and we have to move now." Asha explained.  
  
"Why should we trust you!?" Zack asked glaring at the blonde.  
  
"Asha?" Alec asked standing up.  
  
"You know her?" Krit asked.  
  
"Friend of Max. She helps Logan in working for Eyes Only." Alec answered standing up.  
  
"Good enough for me." Jondy replied looking at Zack.  
  
"Lead the way." Zack said.  
  
Ames and Lydecker walked into the room. Finding no one. Ames looked at Lydecker who returned the scared glance.  
  
"Dam her." he hissed then smacked a button on the side, releaing a flashing red light and a loud sirein.  
  
Then both ran out into the halls.  
  
Max quickened her pace down the hall once the room flashed red every second and the ear breaking siren wailed. She remembered where his office was and opened the door on the right, closing it behind her queitly yet quickly. Max looked aorund panically for the release button. Max searched on the walls, tearing off pictures and anything else on the walls. No button. Max looked around and then kicked his desk over, hoping it was under his desk, still no button. Max ran her fingers through her hair stressfully then saw something red on the bottom of Ames's desk.  
  
Max grinned and then punched it as hard as she could. The sound of the doors opening made her smile she turned around just as guards busted in. Max grabbed the first one by the collar and kicked the second one in the nose, hearing it break. Max then punched the first guard down. 2 out. Max spun around and ducked the man's teaser and then kneed him in the stomach and flipped over the hunched man and was in the hall, and kicked the hunched guard over with a side kick. Suddenly someone kick her back.  
  
"ALL OF THEM ARE GONE!!" Ames yelled at her.  
  
Max grinned.  
  
"Good." she said.  
  
"Your the only one." he replied.  
  
"And she's booking it outta here." Max admitted as more guards came in behind Ames.  
  
Lydecker then grabbed her from behind, wrapping his right arm tightly aorund her neck.  
  
"At least we have one female, she can breed with Ben and we'll get back on our feet." Lydecker added.  
  
"That is sick and wrong!" she said behind clenched teeth as she tried to get away from him.  
  
"No it isn't, it'll be fun Max." Lydecker answered her.  
  
"He's my brother!" she said still stuggling.  
  
"There are no limits in breeding my dear." he said.  
  
Suddenly someone jumped though the roof.  
  
"No fair, Max is MY breeding partner." Alec said and punched Lydecker hard in the face.  
  
Ames made a notion to grab him when suddenly Krit jumped though.  
  
"Going somewhere big guy? Or maybe you wuld just like me and Max to breed so we can make more soliders that can kick your ass!" he said then kicked him in the stomach.  
  
"Max! Take my hand!" Zack shouted from the ceiling.  
  
Max jumped up clutching his wrist. Zack then pulled her up, once close enough putting his free hand under her arm pitt and pulled her up. once up she fell on top of him.  
  
"I'm glad to see you." she admitted getting off him.  
  
"Dido." Zack said grinning.  
  
"ALEC! KRIT! LET'S GO!" he shouted.  
  
Kirt then jumped up and pulled himself in, followed by Alec.  
  
"Krit." Max said happily hugging him then Alec.  
  
"Let's go people!" Zack said leading them through the ceiling and on to the roof.  
  
The 3 ran across the roof to where the chopper was running, the others already in. Zack in followed by Alec then Krit.  
  
"Max, give me your ankle!" Asha shouted over the loud noise of the chopper.  
  
Asha grabbed the anklet and clipped it off, throwing it over the side with the rest as the chopper took off into the air.  
  
"Thanks Asha." Max said to her.  
  
"No problem Max." she answered.  
  
Max smiled at Logan.  
  
"Thanks a bunch Logan." she replied.  
  
"Welcome Max." he answered.  
  
Max looked over the side seeing Lydecker and Ames on the roof, both glaring at her. Ames pointed at her, causing chills to send up her spin, like..........................he was warning her. 


	16. EXPOSURE

AUTHOR'S NOTE- SHORT, BAD, SORRY;) BUT THIS IS KINDA AN INFO CHAPTER, THE NEXT CHAPTER WILL START THE ACTION BACK UP. I AM SORRY FOR NOT WRITING FOR A LONG TIME, I JUST SAW "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN" ON JULY 9TH AND I HAVE BEEN IN A 'PIRATE' MOOD FOR THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS AND COULDN'T COME UP WITH ANYTHING FOR THIS STORY. I AM STILL IN A PIRATE MOOD, BUT I UPDATE A CRAPY CHAPTER TO HOLD YOU GUYS OVER UNTIL MY NEXT CHAPTER WHICH I SHOULD UPDATE AGAIN EITHER TONIGHT OR TOMMORROW.   
  
EVERYONE SHOULD GO SEE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, ORLANOD IS SUCH A HOTTIE AND JOHNNY DEPP IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO FUNNY IN IT, I WAS DYING OF LAUGHTER! VERY GOOD MOVIE, 1,000 STARS!  
  
ENJOY AND REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
-NAT-  
  
The 6 brothers and sisters stood, gathered outside of Logan's apartment.   
  
"Well, I guess, everything is almost over. Blade is dead, no worrying if we lay low right?" Max asked, kinda sad, not wanting any of them to leave her again.   
  
Some shook their head in agreement.   
  
"Just gotta be careful." Zack added.   
  
Max shook her head and then looked down at her feet.   
  
"Your still going to stay in Seattle? After all of this happened?" Zack asked, almost not believing it.   
  
Max looked up at him.   
  
"After everything that's happened Zack, this is home to me. I don't wanna go anywhere else. This is where everyone knows I am, so if they need me, they can find me." she answered him.   
  
"Besides she has a lot of people that care about her here." Alec added jumping in.   
  
"Ok, whatever Maxie." Zack said, giving up on trying to convince her to go.   
  
"See you around baby sister." Zack said stealing a big, big hug from her.   
  
Max closed her eyes.   
  
"Do you have to go?" she whisphered as tears fell.   
  
Once they parted Zack sighed.   
  
"Yeah, I do." she said softly.   
  
Max shook her head saying she understood, but in reality she didn't.   
  
"See ya around maxie." Zack said and then soon disappeared into the night.   
  
The others looked at her, feeling sad as well, because they would all have to do what Zack had just done. Tinga stepped forth and smiled trying to make her feel better.   
  
"You know I have 2 boys waiting for me." she replied.   
  
Max smiled as well and shook her head yes, hugging her tightly too.   
  
"Go to them, and give Casey a hug for me." she said.   
  
Tinga, also tears in her eyes smiled and shook her head yes then she too turned and walked away, the darkness loosing her. Jondy gave her a hug.   
  
"Take care of yourself sis, and I'll keep in touch." she said then followed Tinga.   
  
Max looked at Jace.   
  
"I'm sorry what Ames did to your little girl." she said.   
  
Jace shrugged.   
  
"My mistake getting myself pregnant. I should have know having a child in my situation would be risky. But I would be lying if I said it was easy to cope with the loss." Jace replied.   
  
Max hugged Jace and she watched her walk away to the night. Finally her eyes rested on Krit who also watched Jace walk away then back at her.   
  
"I'm going back to L.A. If you ever need me, I'll be there. Don't worry Max, your gonna do fine. I'll keep in touch with you, more than anyone else will." he said grinning.   
  
Max grinned as well and the 2 hugged.   
  
"I love you Max." Krit replied.   
  
"I love you too Krit." she said softly.   
  
The 2 let go and Krit smiled as he walked away. Logan looked at Asha, who felt bad.   
  
"Wanna got to crash or something?" Alec asked.   
  
Max shook her head no.   
  
"I need to be alone for a while." she told them then walked away, in the opposite direction that everyone else walked.   
  
Weeks passed and soon, to Max and Alec, everything had gotten almost back to as normal as it used to be for them. They managed to talk Normal into getting their old job back and things were running very smoothly. But to Max, too smoothly, she hadn't see or heard from Lydecker or Ames White in a long time, and one should think that she would be happy but in reality she was worried.   
  
Max sat on the bench in front of her locker, on her 15 minute break. She sorted through the packages in her bag as Alec walked up and through his leg over the bench, sitting down next to her.   
  
"What the heck are you doing?" he asked her.   
  
"Getting organized, why?" she asked.   
  
Alec laughed.   
  
"Look around Max, nothing about this place or job is organized." he said.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Is there a reason why your sitting here?" she asked annoyingly.   
  
Alec grinned.   
  
"Nope, just sitting here to annoy you." he admitted.   
  
Max shoved the package in her bag and looked at him.   
  
"Huh, well, your libal to get a black eye then." she said.   
  
Suddenly the TV switched on. Max, expecting an Eyes Only hack, she looked up at it. But to her eyes it wasn't Logan's eyes on the screen, it was Ames White.   
  
"Max, what the heck is he doing on there?" Alec asked throwing his annoying side aside and becoming serious as he looked up at the TV in shock.   
  
"I don't know." she replied.   
  
Alec looked around and saw that the Tv switching on not only attracted the attention of himself and Max, but of every eye bascially in JamPony.   
  
"I have came on national television today for one thing, to educate you, the American people." Ames began.   
  
Alec looked at Max in fear, Max returned the glance before resting her eyes on the TV.   
  
"I and the staff of this organization, have came to the conclusion to tell you what the government has been doing for the oast couple of years, because something trageic has just happened and for your safety, we feel you must know." Ames added.   
  
"Please." Max told herself.   
  
"What you are about to hear might be hard to believe, but we assure you, it's 100% true, and we are going to need your help. For the past 9 or so years the government has secretly been devoting funds for gentic experiments. We were able to create creatures what we called transgenics. Some look like monsters that we all have nightmares about and some look just like you. You could be sitting next to one right now as we speak. The ones that look like you are what we call the X series,you can't tell them apart from yourselves because the look, act, and feel the same way you do. The only way to tell if someone is a transgenic or not is to see if they have a barcode on the back of their neck or unusal strenghth. These transgenics were desgined for battle, they are soliders, they have powers such as amazing strength and other things. They are highly dangerous and if anyone knows where one is, they need to contact authorites immediatly. I assure you ALL that you will be learning more on these trangenics over the next couple of days, but for right now you have been warned, thank you." he spoke then the TV shut off.   
  
Alec looked at Max horrified.   
  
"Exposure." he whisphered to her.   
  
Suddenly her cellphone started ringing. Max picked it up.   
  
"Go for Max." she said.   
  
"Check the news?" Logan asked.   
  
"Yeah, amazing what they put on TV now a days huh?" she said sarcastincally.   
  
"Max, this isn't good for you, or Alec or your family, none of you." Logan said.   
  
"I know, but why would Ames do this if he's in charge of hiding it?" Max asked confused.   
  
"Maybe him and Lydecker figured the easiest way of getting all of you back in a cage is getting the whole world to help them hunt you." Logan figured.   
  
Max shivered at the sound of this.   
  
"Max?" Logan asked wanting to know if she was still there.   
  
"Those bastards." she told Logan as she looked helplessly out the window, wondering if any of her brothers and sisters saw the broadcast. 


	17. Trouble

AUTHOR'S NOTE- NEXT CHAPTER UP! ENJOY AND REVIEW PLEASE!!!!!!  
  
PS- TODAY IS MARIE SERNEHOLT (BLONDE GIRL, LEAD SINGER OF A*TEENS) 20TH BIRTHDAY! SHE IS MY ROLE MODEL NEXT TO JESSICA ALBA, AND I HOPE SHE HAS A GREAT BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!   
  
AND ON JULY 8TH WAS JESSICA ALBA'S LITTLE BROTHER (JOSHUA ALBA) (PLAYED KRIT) BIRTHDAY, I BELIEVE HE TURNED 20 BUT NOT TOTALLY SURE! SO YEA, HAPPY BIRTHDAY JESSIE'S BABY BROTHER!   
  
ALSO ON THAT SAME DAY WAS MICHAEL WEATHERLY'S(JESSICA ALBA'S FIANCEE) (PLAYED LOGAN) BRITHDAY I THINK HE TURNED 34 OR 35. BUT THAT WOULD BE FREAKY TO HAVE MY BIRTHDAY ON THE SAME DAY AS MY SISTER'S FIANCEE!  
  
AWW SO MANY BIRTHDAYS!J AGAIN HERE'S THE CHAPTER AND ENJOY!  
  
-NAT-  
  
*****~CARPE DIEM~*****  
  
PS- GO SEE "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, TAKE MY WORD FOR IT, IT'S GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ORLANDO BLOOM IS HOT!;)  
  
Max looked, still horrified out the window. Alec got to his feet as well.   
  
"You ok Max?" he asked walking up next to her.   
  
"No, we have to go find him." she said turning around to leave, but Alec caught her arm.   
  
"What? Find who?" Alec asked confused.   
  
"Zack, he'll know what to do." she answered.   
  
Max again tried to leave but Alec yanked her closer to him.   
  
"Max, Zack doesn't know what to do anymore than me or you do. It's pointless!" Alec whispered staring at her in all seriousness.   
  
"Well someone has got to know what to do!" Max screamed at him.   
  
Alec looked around to see who all was looking at them. Cindy jumped up and herded some people away.   
  
"Alright, show's over, leave my girl alone she just loss her granddaddy." she replied pushing people away from Alec and Max, knowing that they needed to talk about their 'transgenic stuff'.   
  
"Maybe talking about this, here isn't the best idea." Alec replied then pulled Max out of Jampony.   
  
Max grabbed her bicycle as did Alec.   
  
"Alec, someone has to know what to do." she said.   
  
"Max, I don't think ANY of us knows what to do, ok. We're all stumped on this one. If White gets people, like all over the world hunting us, we are never going to be living normally, we'll have to go into hiding." Alec responded.  
  
"I don't want to live my life like that, it's just like living in an invisible cage." she answered.   
  
"Well Max…" Alec began in a 'hate to break it to you' tone.   
  
"They won't stop hunting until we're either dead or in a cage…….permanently." Alec added.   
  
Max sighed.   
  
"Don't remind me." she answered.   
  
Suddenly her cell phone started ringing. Max glanced at Alec then took out her cell phone and held it up to her ear.   
  
"Go for Max." she answered.   
  
"Hey Max, this is Logan, I got some tip that Ames are checking local buildings and businesses in sector 9, so keep a heads up." Logan replied.   
  
"Ok, thanks Logan." she answered then hung up.   
  
"So what did Logan want?" he asked.   
  
"White is checking for transgenic in Sector 9. Like going in and checking." Max said.   
  
"Sector 9? But that's where Jampony is." Alec acknowledged.   
  
"Well no stinkin' dun Alec." she answered him.   
  
Alec looked at her hurt.   
  
"Sorry, I'm just kinda stressed at the moment." Max apologized.   
  
"No, NO, I understand." he said.   
  
"I'm glad." she replied.   
  
Alec sighed and then across the street.   
  
"You want some coffee? My treat." Alec replied.   
  
Max smiled a little.   
  
"As wonderful as it would be to have you buy ME something, I think I'll pass, I'm not in for coffee at the moment." she sad.   
  
"Ok, I'll be right back then." he answered then ran across the street at the small coffee shop.   
  
Max leaned her bike up against the side of the building as she waited.   
  
A guy in blue jeans and a red t-shirt with a black leather jacket over it, hung his head low. He stood in the alley between the coffee shop and the flower shop. His eyes locked on Max. He pulled the black baseball cap lower, covering his eyes and his identity. He looked both ways and then backed into the alley. He jogged lightly as he rounded the coffee shop and came running up the alley between the coffee shop and an old abandoned FBI building. He clung his back to the edge of the coffee shop and peered over, and saw Max, diagonally now since he moved.   
  
He kept his eyes on her as he jogged across the street and on the other side of the road, the same side as her, only on the opposite side of the building she was leaning up against. The guy looked up and grabbed a hold of the fire latter and ran up it, having some sort of super human speed. He got on the roof and the entered the building by a door on the room. Once inside her looked over the edge the flipped over the railing, landing on the first floor, on his feet, he landed softly, without making a sound, crouching like a tiger waiting to pounce.   
  
He could see Max through cracks and holes in the door in front of him, where sunshine shined only a little through the dusty, old, abandoned building. He slowly stood up, but not all the way, he kept his knees bent, so he sneaked closer to the door. Straightening his legs, he grew taller compared to Max.   
  
Suddenly, like attacking, he sent both of his hands through the rotting wood of the door, grabbed Max, and yanked her back. Max didn't have time to scream, shock made it impossible to do so, as she felt her body being pulled backwards. She flew backwards through the door, breaking it into pieces and landing hard on her back inside the building. She saw a figure back flip over her, so it landed behind her. Max was about ready to attack him but before she could do so he grabbed her but not hard, and pulled her up, grabbing her mouth and pushing her up against a wall. She looked at her attacker in fear but saw that he raised a finger up to his lips, telling her to be quiet. The figure let go of Max's mouth and threw his cap off, freeing his black gelled hair.   
  
"Krit!" she said in relief.   
  
"Shh." he said.   
  
Max shook her head yes as Krit looked around, looking through holes of the building then looked back at his younger sister.   
  
"Max, I'm sorry, but I had to come here. My ass is getting hunted down by Brin. She's been following me left and right, constantly on me, I couldn't shake her off so I left town and you're the only person that I knew where you lived." he apologized.   
  
"It's ok." she assured him.   
  
"No, it's not Max, Brin is hunting me down like a dog! She may even be in this city as we speak, believe me I never mean to bring trouble to you. But I couldn't stay there Max, you have to understand I couldn't!" Krit whispered to her.   
  
Max touched his shoulder.   
  
"Krit, it's ok, I understand believe me. Actually I'm glad you came, trouble or no trouble, I'm glad to see you." she said smiling.   
  
Krit managed to smile as well then hugged her, picking her up and twirling her around and then set her down again.   
  
"Your understand this way better than Zack would be." he admitted. Max grinned.   
  
"I know, I get that a lot." she said.   
  
"So, Brin, she's trying to bring you back? She didn't run and be free?" Max asked.   
  
"Obviously not. And to tell the truth, she's a good tracker, my sister is trying to bring me back or kill me and a couple of times she got close to it." he said.   
  
"Ok, well Alec will be coming out of that building soon, so let's go out and we'll get you to my place and you can hide out there, I got a new place." Max said.   
  
Krit shook his head yes as he grabbed his cap and put it back on his head. The 2 exited the building just as Alec was crossing the street.   
  
"Oh there you are. I was wondering where you went once I didn't see you standing over here when I came out" Alec replied sipping on his coffee.   
  
"Who's this?" Alec asked pointing at the guy in the cap.   
  
Krit raised the bill of his hood.   
  
"Oh, Krit, what are you doing in Seattle?" Alec asked.   
  
"Duh, Alec, he's in trouble." Max answered the grabbed her bike.   
  
Krit shook his head at Alec then lowered his bill and followed Max.   
  
"And we are going to Jampony and not your apartment because?" Alec asked.   
  
Max looked back at him.   
  
"Don't start, I have to get my keys to get into my apartment stupid." she said putting her bike in the bike rack.  
  
Krit chuckled at Max calling Alec stupid and the 3 entered Jampony. Suddenly they stopped dead in their tracks. Max's heart stopped and her mouth dropped, and she became shortness of breath. Kit's mouth was also open in fear. There in front of them stood Ames, pulling a messenger over, checking her neck. Max saw the anger in his eyes as he found nothing. Then his eyes rested on the doors, then she saw him lock his eyes on her.   
  
"Mr. Ronald, does she work here?" he asked pointing at Max and walking up to her, pushing Alec and Krit away from her, not noticing their faces.   
  
"Max, yea she works here." Normal answered looking at his desk of papers.   
  
"Max, interesting name for a girl. Max what?" he asked playing along.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
"Max, if you won't I will." Normal warned.   
  
Max sighed.   
  
"Guevara." she answered.   
  
Ames smiled, finding this humorous.   
  
"Well, miss Guevara, please let me see your neck, I'm checking to see if any of your employees or you are transgenic." he replied.   
  
Max sighed and looked around helplessly but pulled her hair back. Ames looked at the back of her neck, blocking it from everyone's view.   
  
"Well, is she one of these freaks?" Normal asked.   
  
Ames allowed Max's hair to fall back into place. Krit held his breath as did Alec.   
  
"No." he replied.   
  
Max's stomach turned.   
  
"But if you don't mind, I would like to have a word with miss Guevara here." Ames replied grabbing her bicep.   
  
"No, go ahead." he replied.   
  
"Thank you for your time and cooperation Mr. Ronald." he replied then turned around and started walking towards the doors.   
  
Suddenly she felt Ames fingers dig into her arm.   
  
"Keep walking and I won't tell all these people what you really are got it 452?" he whispered to her.   
  
Max swallowed hardly.   
  
Krit threw his cap off and then turned and ran out the back way of Jampony, as fast as he could. Ames busted through the front doors. Krit ran down the alley and grabbed the drain pipe on the front left side of Jampony and then turned the corner in air, kicking Ames in the face, causing him to let go of Max. Krit let go of the drain pipe and landed on his feet. Kicking him hard in the face, causing him to stumble back. Krit grabbed the handcuffs from Ames trench coat pocket and cuffed his right wrist to the railing.   
  
"YOU!" he yelled at Krit, now recognizing him.   
  
"Leave my baby sister alone." he warned.   
  
Suddenly he heard a car door open and saw Lydecker get out.   
  
"It's like their married, they're always attached to each other!" Max shouted then ran and jumped, sliding over the roof of the car on her side, landing on her feet beside Lydecker.   
  
"Miss me?" she asked then punched him hard in the face, the grabbed him by the back of the collar, spin him and rammed his head into the car. Max watched him fall to the ground, knocked out.   
  
"Let's jet!" Krit yelled.   
  
"Hey that's my saying." Max said smiling as she ran around the car and they took off down the hall.   
  
"Thanks, for saving me back there." she said as they ran.   
  
"Hey, when Zack's not here, someone's gotta look out for the baby of the group." he answered.   
  
"Ah, so now your playing big brother." Max said grinning.   
  
"I've always played that role, only Zack is big brother, I'm older brother." Krit said.   
  
Max laughed as they ran.   
  
Alec swerved his green bike in front of them, stopping them.   
  
"Get on." he said.   
  
Krit pushed Max on and then got on himself. Max clung to Alec's waist as Krit clung to Max's waist, barley fitting 3 people on and they were off. 


	18. Mind tricks

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HEY THANKS TO ALL MY REVIEWS! I WANNA THANK , JUMOKE( by the way, ehhehehehe, I'm no genius, I just know how to write and I know what ppl want to read, but thanks you A LOT for the compliment! You made my day!)   
  
RINGO-GULR07, ROSWELL-X5-LIZ, LIL K, MEL, LYNN, BO AND LOTS OTHERS, BUT ESPECIALLY YOU GUYS, YOU ALWAYS REVIEW AND I REALLY, REALLY, REALL, APPRIECATE IT!!!!!!!!! YOU GUYS ALSO MAKE MY DAY BY SOME OF THE GOOD STUFF YOU SAY ABOUT MY WRITING. KEEP REVIEWING!  
  
AND HERE'S YOUR GUY'S NEXT CHAPTER!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
NATASHA  
  
*****~CARPE DIEM~*****  
  
Alec stopped in front of Max's apartment building.   
  
"Here you two are." Alec said as Krit and Max jumped off. Max looked at Alec.   
  
"Your not staying?" she asked.   
  
"I need to get back to my job Max, I don't want to get fired." Alec replied.   
  
Max touched his shoulder.   
  
"Alec, please don't leave, Normal loves you, he won't fire you, please stay with us." Max said sincerely.   
  
Alec sighed and looked into Max's sad eyes. He looked down at his bike and turned it off, yanking the key out of the hole and got off.   
  
"Thank you." she said seriously.   
  
"Ok follow me" she replied as she ran up to her building, Krit and Alec following.   
  
Krit sat on Max's couch, in a comfortably, biting his thumbnail in a nervous manner.   
  
"Did, you try and get a hold of Zack?" Max asked carrying a bag of Chinese food in and sitting it on the coffee table.   
  
"Tried, but he changed his stinkin' number again." Krit said sadly shaking his head as he reached in and grabbed a carton that contained his meal in it.   
  
"Ok, why would he change it?" Alec asked confused also grabbing a carton of food.   
  
"Someone found it out." Max answered.   
  
Krit shrugged his shoulders and took his chop sticks and dug into his food.   
  
"Well, since we have no way of contacting your beloved brother, what are we gonna do now?" Alec asked shoving some food into his mouth.   
  
Max looked at Krit, chopsticks in her hand. Krit looked back at her then switched his head to Alec.   
  
"We go without him, we don't need him to do this. This is on us, no one brought Zack into it." Krit acknowledged.   
  
"You sure, we hardly done anything without Zack." Max said.   
  
"I know but we have no way of reaching him Maxie, what do you want us to do?" Krit asked.   
  
Max shrugged and looked down.   
  
"I feel the same way, but what do you want us to do? We can't reach him." Krit replied.   
  
Max shook her head yes.   
  
"Don't worry Krit, I survived 9 years out running Ames and Lydecker without his help." Max replied then set her food down and got up and walked to the window and looked out it.   
  
Krit looked at Alec who gave an 'uh oh' look.   
  
"Maybe you should go talk to her." Alec suggested with his mouth full.   
  
Krit sighed and also sat his food down and got up and walked behind her.   
  
"You ok Max?" Krit asked softly.   
  
"Yea. Fine." she answered.   
  
"Ok." Krit said and made a notion to go back to the couch. Max never had someone give up that easily and then gave in.   
  
"Krit, I love Zack, but why wasn't he hear when I needed him to be?" Max asked turning around.   
  
Krit stopped and turned back towards her.   
  
"What do you mean Max? Zack has done so much for all of us." Krit replied.   
  
"I know, and I'm very grateful, but why didn't I even know what he looked like until last year or so? Why didn't he keep ME in contact with him, why didn't he tell me where you all where?" she asked sadly.   
  
Krit grabbed Max's hand and sat her down on a chair and then grabbed a chair from the dinning table, dragged it over in front of her and twirled it around so the back was facing Max and then sat down, facing her, placing his hands on top of the back.   
  
"Max, I used to think the exact same thing. That we should have stayed together, or we should have reunited, but now I kinda get why Zack was doing this. OK, let's pretend for one moment, that the things that just happened, getting thrown back in Manticore, this whole Blade issue, it all never happened. Half of a year has gone by since we all escaped first. Zack has a change of heart, and decides to get us all together in one place for the night. We catch up on everything, we tell each other our interests, where we live, where we like to go, our phone number so we can stay in touch, everything. Then we go our separate ways again, but we stay in touch. Jondy calls you every night, I call you or come in and visit every weekend, we all keep close. Then…." Krit began raising his index finger.   
  
"Lydecker comes down on you, manages to drag you back to the one place that any of us don't want to go. See the problem with Colonel Lydecker, Max, is that he can never stop or get enough. He demands to know where the rest of us are. And even if somehow your strong enough and resist all the torture he'll put you through, he'll go in your brain…" he added placing his index finger on her temple. "And rape you of the information and memories you hold. Then he finds out about all of us, everything. And there is no way you can warn us because your strapped down to a table in Manticore. It's a chain reaction Maxie, if all of us knew where all of us lived, and someone got caught, we would all go down, and that what Zack has been trying to prevent for 9 years. I never got why he did it until a couple weeks ago. Now I can see why he does it." Krit explained.   
  
Max looked back at her brother, now understanding.   
  
"You get it now?" Krit asked.   
  
Max shook her head yes.   
  
"Ok, I know it feels like he left you in the dark, and maybe he did, but I know Zack well enough to say that he never meant too. We all wish we could see each other regularly. But hey, life's not fair, especially if you where made in a lab." Krit replied grinning.   
  
Max smiled and hugged him.   
  
"Now, enough talk, let's go eat, I'm starving." Krit replied jumping up and running over jumping on the couch and grabbing his food.   
  
Max laughed and walked over as well.   
  
"Get everything straightened out?" Alec asked, his mouth still full.   
  
Krit glanced at Max who was thinking.   
  
"Yea." she said smiling.   
  
"Good, so anyway, you know this broccoli reminds me of his one time, ha, when Logan-"   
  
"LOGAN! Oh my gosh, I forgot I was suppose to go over to Logan's place to see if he had one of his Eyes Only missions for me!" Max replied jumping up and grabbing her coat.   
  
"Eyes Only missions?" Krit asked confused.   
  
"Yea, Logan works for Eyes Only, and so do I, Logan gives me missions that Eyes Only wants me to do. I gotta jet over there real fast." Max said grabbing her coat.   
  
"Whoa, Max we shouldn't be going out alone, I'm comin' with ya." Krit said standing up.   
  
"Ok, fine." Max settled.   
  
"Well hey I'm not staying here by myself, I'm going too." Alec said throwing the empty carton on the coffee table and jumped up.   
  
"Great, then let's go." Max said walking out the door with the 2 boys following her.   
  
Max swerved to a stop in front of Logan's apartment. Followed by Alec. Max turned her bike off and got off.   
  
"Wait here, I'll be back in a sec." she replied then ran up to the front doors, pulled one open and walked in.   
  
The heat of the night left immediately as she walked into the freezing air conditioned building. Max punched a button for the elevator and waited until the ding disturbed her from her thoughts and the doors opened. She walked in and hit the number 6 and then felt the elevator lift her to the top floor. Once it stopped at her number she took a right and walked down the hall, stopping at the 9th door on the left.   
  
She opened it and walked in a little and stopped. Max looked around, the apartment was empty. She saw Logan wasn't at his computer desk. Max frowned a little but figured he was in the bathroom, or maybe the kitchen, or even in bed. She then walked in, going for the hallway to look for him.   
  
Suddenly she froze and turned her head towards the closet door. Thanks to her cat hearing she heard some shuffling. Max didn't move a muscle. The only thing she allowed herself to move where her eyes. Again she heard it. Max moved slowly and quietly towards the door, glaring at it. An eyebrow raised she rested her hand on the door knob, took a deep breath and swung the door open.   
  
A gun rested on her forehead. Max backed away in fear as Ames stepped out followed by 3 men, Brin and Lydecker. One man aiming a gun at her as well, one holding a teaser, and one with a knife to Logan's throat. Max looked at horror at Logan.   
  
"Hello 452." Ames answered. Max returned her gaze to Ames then looked back into the closet.   
  
"Wow, must be a big closet to fit all you goobers in there." Max said grinning.   
  
"Not funny, 452." she said cocking the gun, ready to fire it at any time. Max looked at Brin.   
  
"Brin." she said sadly.   
  
"Max." Brin answered seriously.   
  
"Max, run!" Logan encouraged.   
  
"Yes Max, run." Ames agreed.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
"If you want your boyfriend to stay alive Max, I suggest you get down on your knees and place your hands behind your head." Lydecker replied.   
  
Max switched her eyes from Ames to Logan to Lydecker to Brin and back to Logan, helplessly.   
  
"Don't Max, just run, now!" Logan said.   
  
Max looked at Logan, tears forming in her eyes and she looked back at Ames who only glared at her, waiting for her decision. Max then hit one knee, then other and raised her hands behind her head, as told. Ames smirked evilly.   
  
"Good girl." Ames replied walking towards her, handcuffs drawn ready to slap them on her.   
  
Once close enough, Max grabbed the hand holding the handcuffs and elbowed him in the shin. Max jumped up and ripped the handcuffs out of an unexpecting Ames White's hand. Max locked one of his left wrist then jumped up on Logan's table, swung it around a pole and locked the final one on his right wrist.   
  
Immediately Max jumped off the table somersaulting on the ground and jumped back on her feet, standing next to the man who had a gun to her. Max kicked the gun out of his hands and the spun around behind the man, catching then gun, she had kicked it behind him. As fast as lightening she emptied it and smacked the guy in the back of the head with the butt of the gun, causing him to fall unconscious.   
  
"She's not cooperating! Kill him!" Ames shouted as he struggled against his restrains.   
  
Max spun around towards Logan, who sent his heel into the man's foot causing him to hunch over in pain and let Logan go. Max kicked him in the face and he fell down, out cold. Max spun around and caught an arm with a teaser in it, hopping to paralyzed her.   
  
She turned her head left and saw Brin running at her and then sent out a side kick, landing it in Brin's side. Max grabbed the guy's arm and sent it into Brin, who was recovering from Max's kick. Brin screamed and fell down shaking. Max looked back at the guy which she still had a hold of.   
  
"Thanks for your help." Max said then forced him to jab himself with the teaser. She dropped him as he too fell to the floor shaking.   
  
"MAX!" Logan yelled.   
  
Max whirled around right in time to receive a kick in the face from Lydecker. The force of his kick sent her back, smashing into one of Logan's large windows. Max fought to maintain her balance but lost it and fell over the side, but caught herself on the edge of the window, barely. She clenched her teeth as she felt her grip weakening.   
  
"MAX!" Krit screamed seeing Max dangle from the window.   
  
Krit the shielded his face away as glass fell on top of them. Once all the glass fell he looked back up and then jumped up, grabbing a hold of the side and grabbing her waist and pulled her up to the story. Krit pulled himself up then and saw the trauma.   
  
Lydecker was heading straight at them. Krit, lying on his stomach next to Max, moved his body so he was lying on his side, and stuck his foot out on the ground waiting for him to trip over it. But to his surprise Lydecker stopped in time and only laughed at him as Lydecker realized Krit's attack backfired. This made Krit furious and he clenched his teeth and rammed his leg into Lydecker's legs, flipping them out in front of him a different way. Lydecker fell on his stomach not his back and Krit placed a leg on top of his back, pinning him to the ground. Giving Max time to get up.   
  
Krit and Max jumped up and Krit threw Lydecker into the back wall.   
  
"452!" Ames screamed infuriated.   
  
"Come on Max. Logan." Krit said breathless pushing Max in front of him and grabbing Logan's wrist leading them down the hall into Logan's bedroom.   
  
Max and Logan ran into the room both in fear. Krit slammed the door shut, shoved his left shoulder into it and locked it. Max ran her fingers stressfully through her hair.   
  
"What do we do now?" she asked scared to death.   
  
Krit looked around breathlessly, half from jumping and frightening but more from fear. He had NO clue. Suddenly a fist flew through the door, causing them all to jump and Max to shriek.   
  
"What do we do!" Logan asked panically as he saw the bloody fist.   
  
All 3 watched it released a fist and then it moved it's index finger, giving the signal to come here. Max backed away and clutched Krit's arm as he back away too. She would have clutched Logan's arm but the virus prevented that. Krit looked around again then a sparkle sparked in his eye as he ran to the window, opened it and looked out.   
  
"Go up the latter!" Krit ordered as he shoved Logan first.   
  
Logan reached out and grabbed the latter and stated climbing up it. Krit followed, doing it rather quickly so Max could get out. Max followed Krit and son she was hanging onto the latter.   
  
The night wind that high up sent her chocolate brown hair flying in every direction. Suddenly she felt a hand clutch her ankle and yank her down. She clutched the bar and with all her strength held on, the hand digging into her ankle and yanking it down.   
  
"Krit!" she called out for help.   
  
Krit looked over his shoulder and saw the hand. Krit let one hand go and leaned as far right as he could, yanked a gun from the inside pocket of his coat and shot the hand. He saw the hand go back inside and heard someone howl in pain. Krit returned the gun to it's place and ran up it faster. Max shook the hair out of her eyes so she could see. She seen that Logan had reached the top and forced herself to go faster, her biceps, fingers and legs burned. Max barely reached the roof, as Krit helped her up to the top.   
  
The 3 ran to the middle staying close to the side. Max looked at Logan.   
  
"Are you ok?" she asked.   
  
Logan shook his head yes. Max then looked at Krit. "  
  
Thank you." she said hugging him.   
  
"No problem." he replied.   
  
Suddenly they heard a shot ring out. Max looked up and then at Krit who only looked back. She turned and saw Logan fall to the ground.   
  
"LOGAN!" Max screamed, wanting to touch him to see if he was ok. Krit hit his knees and checked his pulse and placed his ear and listened for breathing. Before max could know if he was alive or dead Lydecker yanked the back of her shirt and punched her hard in the face. Max stumbled back in shock.   
  
Lydecker didn't give her time to recover and punched her in the left cheek, the force of his punch sent her head over to her right shoulder. Krit looked up at Max and was about ready to jump up and help her when the sound of a gun cocking stopped him. Krit froze as he felt a gun on his temple.   
  
"I would gladly kill you now, if Lydecker would allow me." Ames hissed at him. Krit only grinned.   
  
Lydecker immediately sent another punch to the right cheek, sending her head flying in the other direction. The force of that punch was so powerful it spun her around and she fell, her stomach landing on the edge of the building. Max closed her eyes and spit out a mouthful of blood. Lydecker took his time walking over to her and then yanked her up and threw her down on the concrete of the roof, off the.   
  
Max landed back to the ground hard and got on her hands and knees, getting ready to stand up. Lydecker didn't want her to stand up so he kicked her in the side of the ribs and stomach, sending Max back down to the ground in pain on her side. Max fought to get up, she got halfway up before her body gave up and collapsed back down. Lydecker looked over at Ames and saw he had Krit under control.   
  
Lydecker sighed and picked Max up and grabbed her hair and yanked her head back, forcing him to look at Ames as he walked her up to him. Ames saw blood coming from the side of her mouth and could tell she had been crying, wither because of pain or Logan dead he didn't know.   
  
"Looks like your gonna have a black eye." he told her.   
  
Max looked at him then at Krit and then at Logan's body, her lip trembling and she felt a hot river of tears streaming down her face as she blinked. Max then turned her head and spit out another mouthful of blood on the concrete. Ames forced her mouth open and examined the cut on the side of her cheek, blood already oozing out of it. Ames closed her mouth and shook his head pitifully. She then spit out more, landing on his shoes.   
  
"Opps." she said softly as Ames glared at her.   
  
Ames made a motion to slap her. Again Max braced herself and closed her eyes. Instead Ames only laughed and smacked her cheek lightly and turned around and grabbed Krit by the hair as well and yanked him up as well. Krit fought to keep his anger in.   
  
Lydecker also picked Logan's body up, Max shivered as her tears were now cold as she saw Logan's head close to her.   
  
The 2 lead them downstairs , walking out the double doors, leading them to their cars. Suddenly Alec jumped out and slammed Ames in the face with a concrete brick and jabbed one of their teasers into Lydecker. Ames fell unconscious and Lydecker paralyzed.   
  
"Who missed me?" Alec asked grinning.   
  
Max stood up and hugged Alec tightly. Alec's smart smile faded into a serious face, as he held her, not expecting max to do that. Krit helped Logan up as Max let Alec go.   
  
"Logan! Your dead!" she said not believe he was standing.   
  
Logan ripped his shirt a little and revealed a bullet proof vest underneath. Max smiled widely.   
  
"After the first time I was shot I wore this ever since basically. Sorry, hearing you scream was hard, I wanted to tell you I was ok, but I figured I was better off letting them think they killed me." Logan said.   
  
"I understand, I would hug you right now, but I can't." she said. Logan smiled as well.   
  
"Um, yea, ok, can we leave now before the man wakes up? Logan you ridding with me." Alec replied hopping on his bike.   
  
Logan followed and grabbed his waist, knowing Alec drives crazy on these things. Max jumped on her's as well with Krit grabbing her waist and they were off. 


	19. Disturbing Information

AUTHOR'S NOTE- NEXT CHAPTER GUYS! THANKS FOR ALL THE REVIEWS! I LIKE YOU GUYS REVIEWING! I AM GLAD YOU ARE ALL LIKING THE STORY, SO HERE YA GO!!!!!!!!!!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
NATASHA  
  
~*****CARPE DIEM*****~  
  
PS- EVERYONE GO SEE PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN, IT RULES! TAKE ME TO!!!! HEHEHEHHE J/K  
  
Max lead them back to her apartment, the only other place besides Termianl City that she knew that they were safe. Max kept quiet as they all walked up the stiars and into her apartment. Alec sat down on the couch and sighed as did Krit. Logan looked at Max.   
  
"Hey are you ok?" Logan asked.   
  
Max only looked at him then kicked the coffee table over furiously, sending whatever was on it flying everywhere.   
  
"Whoa!" Alec cried out.   
  
"Whoa, Whoa, Maxie." Krit shouted as he jumped up and grabbed her shoulders, keeping her from doing anything else.   
  
"There went my drink." Alec said sadly.   
  
"Krit, why do they keep finding us? Why?" she asked crying, for the first time in front of someone besides Cindy.   
  
Krit looked at her sadly.   
  
"I don't know Max." he answered softly.   
  
Max closed her eyes and buried her face in his chest. Krit wrapped his arms around her and looked at Alec and Logan for help. Both shrugged.   
  
"Manticore technology and sources must be getting stronger." Logan suggested.   
  
"And we can't stop it, I already tried twice!" Max said not moving from her brother's embrace.   
  
"Well you just destroyed it again, if they do catch us, the wouldn't hve any place to put us until they rebuild it. Right? Or is there somewhere else they would take us?" Krit asked.   
  
Max thought then her eyes widened as she looked at Alec.   
  
"The breeding cult place." she said.   
  
Alec's eyes widened as well and he shivered.   
  
"What?" Krit asked her.   
  
"Uh oh." Logan replied sitting down.   
  
Max looked at Krit.   
  
"Ames is apart of this breeding cult thing, that hates all transgenics, but Ames and their relationship is kinda sour now." Max explained.   
  
"But if he shows up dragging 3 transgenics in there, they're relationship will be sweeter than sugar." Alec added.   
  
Max let go of Krit and turned to Logan.   
  
"How's Joshua?" she asked him.   
  
"Upset, but ok." he answered.   
  
Max shook her head in understanding.   
  
"I wish Zack were here." Max said softly.   
  
"Dido." Krit replied.   
  
"I'm gonna take a shower." she said then walked back to the bathroom and shut the door.   
  
"We're screwed." Alec said.  
  
Ames held a bag of ice on his head. Normally he didn't feel pain, but for some reason, he felt that. He was furious, he was going to kill 494 once he got a chance. Lydecker then walked in.   
  
"How's your head?" Lydecker asked.   
  
Ames looked up at him annoying.   
  
"Gotcha, I just departed that familiar." Lydecker said.   
  
"Good, give me the phone." he said.  
  
Suddenly Max's cell phone started ringing. Krit looked at it then back at the bathroom door. He sighed, got up, grabbed it and walked in front of the bathroom door.   
  
"Max, cell's ringin'!" Krit shouted over the running water and slid her cellphone under the door and walked back over and sat down on the couch.   
  
Max stopped the water and stepped out, wrapping a towel around her body and squatted down and picked up the cellphone. She pressed talk and held it up to her ear.   
  
"Go for Max." she answered picking up her glass of water and getting ready to take a drink of it.   
  
"452." a voice answered.   
  
Max dropped her glass, in shock, smashing it to pieces. Krit looked at the bathroom door, hearing the noise.   
  
"Max?" Krit asked.   
  
"How the hell did you get my cell number!?" Max demanded.   
  
"You have your ways, I have mine." he answered.   
  
"How did you find Logan." she demanded.   
  
She heard Ames sigh.   
  
"Went back to wear you work, some of your friends bought the lie and that tipped me, happy?" he said.   
  
"No, what do you want?" she said.   
  
"I'm a polite, outgoing man....." He added.   
  
"Please, spare me." Max said.   
  
Ames ignored that comment.   
  
"So, I KNOW you 3 aren't going to win, so I'm giving you a head start. I'm warning you of what is coming after you." Ames said. Max was then silent.   
  
"He has familiar abilities, I'll give you that hint, but you all are in for a big suprise. Jet's out there, in the city as we speak, and it's only a matter of time before he finds you, so good luck, and I'll see you soon." Ames replied then the phone died.   
  
Max eyes widened and she ran out of the bathroom. They all stood up, besides Alec, startled.   
  
"Max, are you ok?" Logan asked.   
  
"Wow, never seen this much of you Max." Alec replied.   
  
"Ames, just called me!" she shrieked.   
  
"What! What did he want?" Krit replied.   
  
"He wanted to warn us, he sent someone out after us again, he's out there somewhere and it has familiar abilites." Max said.   
  
Alec groaned.   
  
"Crap." he replied.   
  
"Familiar abilites......" Krit asked having no clue.   
  
"Means no matter how hard you beat the crap out of them, they don't feel the pain and they're a lot stronger than transgenics. You punch em' you'll be lucky if they even wince." Alec shared.   
  
"I see, that's not good." Krit said.   
  
"He said Jet, his name is Jet." Max also said.   
  
Alec's eyes then widened.   
  
"What Alec?" Logan asked, the only one seeing him widen his eyes. Max and Krit looked at Alec.   
  
"What Alec!?" Max said taking a step closer to him.  
  
Alec looked at her and grinned.   
  
"What will ya do for the info?" Alec asked.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
Krit then took out his gun, sighed and scratched is head with the front. Alec cleared his throat as he watched Krit hold the gun.   
  
"Right, nevermind." Alec said.   
  
Krit smiled and flipped the gun in the air, caught it and retunred it to its place.   
  
"After you guys escaped, they were creating and expirmenting left and right and there was this mutant they took and sid something about crossing it with a familiar, at the time I had no stinkin' clue what a familiar was, but now I do." Alec replied.   
  
"So he doesn't look human." Logan acknowledged.   
  
"No, he looks like a lizard,a chomelaione or something." Alec added.   
  
"Ok, that makes him easier to see." Max replied.   
  
"Not, really. See he's a shape shifter. He can turn into anybody anytime and he can become.....invisible." Alec said.   
  
Max slowly sat down.   
  
"Wait so if your fightening him or something and he can just go invisible?" Krit said.   
  
"And if he does he can beat the crap out of you and knock you out easily considering he's half familiar." Alec said.   
  
Krit's mouth was open in shock as he looked at Max, so did Logan and Alec.   
  
"We're screwed." Max said.   
  
"THANK YOU, thats what I said." Alec replied leanging back in his chair.   
  
Max laid her head on Krit's shoudler. 


	20. Jet

Author's Note- Here ya go guys, the next chapter! I hope you enjoy it! Sorry I have been updating in a while, like 3 days, but I dug myself in a hole and couldn't think of anything, but I'm cool now;) Enjoy!   
  
PS- YES SOMETHING HAPPENS THAT MIGHT HAPPEN A LOT IN MY STORIES………..AGAIN, BUT I ASSURE YOU, THERE IS A REASON FOR THIS, IT'S GONNA BE BIG IN THE NXT COUPLE CHAPTERS! LOL, I DO HAVE REASON FOR MY CRAZY WRITING;)  
  
Love all  
  
Natasha  
  
Max was the only one awake. Even if she needed the sleep, she wouldn't be able to go to sleep. In fact she wondered how Krit, Logan, and Alec could sleep when something this tragic happened. She sighed as all the lights where off and the lights of the city gave a little warm glow to the inside of her dark apartment. She looked down, some people were walking, others she saw driving cars. She thought to herself, about how one time she could actually walk down that same street and not feel half as paranoid as she felt now.   
  
{Any of them, he could be any of them. Looking for me, for us right on that same street, he could even be looking up at me and thinking about how pathetic I am.} she thought to herself.   
  
She ran her fingers through her now dry hair. As she thought, she HAD to think, she just couldn't take this thing on without a plan, that would be stupid. And they would all get caught. Everything clouded her mind. Flashes of the issues from their escape and everything still haunted her and then frightening Ben a couple nights ago and being held close to that fan by Blade, also haunted her. She tried to shake the images out of her head but she couldn't, she tried desperately to think about it, to come up with a plan but she couldn't.   
  
She closed her eyes and then they flew open. She couldn't think, she had to get some air. Max looked back at everyone and knew it was probably a mistake, but she ran out the door.   
  
Max lost herself in the crowd of people walking on the side of the street. She moved nimbly, one so she could get to her needle without anyone stopping or catching her, two so she could get there and back without the other's knowing she was gone, and thirdly is because she was just freaked out.   
  
She turned right pushing through people, as if everyone was trying to piss her off right now. Soon Max reached the needle and was about ready to go up the stairs when someone grabbed her hand. She spun around, ready to attack, sending a punch which he caught, but lost his balance and Max fell on top of him on the ground, pinning him down.   
  
"Max." he said breathless.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Zack?" she said softly.   
  
Zack grinned as Max quickly helped him up.   
  
"What are you doing in Seattle?" she asked him.   
  
"Well, I was passing through to see Jondy and I thought I would stop to see you before I hit the interstate." Zack said smiling.   
  
Max looked at Zack funny but hugged him.   
  
"I'm glad to see you." she replied. Zack smiled.   
  
"I'm glad to see you too Maxie." he answered.   
  
"So, why are you out running around after dark, White's men are still out there you know, you shouldn't be out by yourself." Zack lectured.   
  
"Relax, I was just going to my needle, I really needed to clear my mind." she replied.   
  
Zack looked at her more concerned.   
  
"Is everything ok?" he asked seriously.   
  
Max looked at him, wanting to lie, to tell a lie that he would buy so he would go see Jondy an get the hell out of this danger zone called Seattle.   
  
"Max, the truth." he said.   
  
Max sighed helplessly then shook her head no.   
  
"What's wrong?" he asked.   
  
"Ames and Lydecker are on my ass, on all of ours. And he sent a familiar with shape shifting abilities and able to go invisible to hunt us down." she shared.   
  
Zack's eyes widened.   
  
"Well, that is quite a situation." Zack admitted.   
  
"I'm so scared." she shared.   
  
Zack sighed, looked to his left and pulled her in for a hug.   
  
"What do you mean…..us?" Zack asked.   
  
"Me, Alec and Krit." she answered enjoying him hug her.   
  
Zack's eyes widened as she grabbed her shoulders and pulled her away, looking straight into her eyes.   
  
"Krit?" he asked almost yelling.   
  
"Yeah." Max answered.   
  
"Krit is in this city?" he asked.   
  
"Yeah." Max answered.   
  
"Max, that's impossible I just visited him at his house, I visited him and his dog." Zack said with fear.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"No, Zack, Krit is here, he's in my apartment right now, unless he's the……………..oh God." she said raising her hand up to her mouth. Zack, looked at her and grabbed her hand.   
  
"Max, I have to get you out of here now, it's not safe for you here. Please listen to me ok, you're crazy if you want to stay here and duke it out with Donald Lydecker and Ames White." Zack said tugging her to the left. Max stopped him.   
  
"Zack, I can't leave." she answered.   
  
Zack looked at her.   
  
"I'm not asking for your permission Max, I'm telling you, now you're coming with me one way or the other, now let's go!" he ordered.   
  
"Zack, no!" she said tears forming.   
  
Suddenly Alec and Krit ran up. "Max!' Krit said happily.   
  
"Told ya she'd be here." Alec added.   
  
Zack then grabbed Max and pulled her to him, grabbing a gun out and putting it to her head.   
  
"Zack!? What the hell are you doing!?" Krit shouted stopping dead in his tracks.   
  
"He's not Zack!" she screamed at him.   
  
Krit looked at Alec who got it and gasped in fear.   
  
"Run! Just go!" Max screamed at him.   
  
"No way am I leaving you!" Krit yelled back.   
  
"To hell you aren't, just go!" she cried.   
  
Krit took a step towards them. Jet, looking identical to Zack, cocked the gun.   
  
"Don't think about taking another step dude, or we'll see how far I can blow your baby sis's brains out, got it?" Jet asked.   
  
Krit stopped instantly.   
  
"Excellent." he said slowly backing away.   
  
"So how'd you know it wasn't your dear brother Zack?" he whispered in her ear evilly, smirking as he kept his eyes glued on Krit and Alec, to make sure they didn't move.   
  
Max glared at nothing.   
  
"Zack doesn't come through here to visit Jondy, she lives on the opposite side of the country now. Besides Zack is so….." she shared.   
  
"Dominate?" he asked putting the word in her mouth.   
  
"Forceful." she corrected struggling a little. Jet chuckled.   
  
"Ha, sorry couldn't help it, I hate it when people don't listen to me." he admitted.   
  
"Then your messing with the wrong person." she added as she backed away with him, not wanting too. Jet pulled her closer on him as she felt the gun go deeper into her temple.   
  
Jet only grinned then suddenly picked her up and flipped her over his shoulder and took off down an alley. Krit and Alec took off running after him. Alec and Krit ran down the wet alley and looked around, they were gone, no where to be found. Suddenly they heard something slam shut. Krit and Alec turned around in alarm and saw the Jet had lead them into a trap, a large cage.   
  
Jet only grinned as he had one hand on the fence, and the other, casually holding Max his hand covering her mouth, and her back pressed close to him. Considering he was a familiar he was a lot stronger and his grip could almost crush anything, even a transgenic.   
  
"Well, lookie here, feels like home, huh boys?" he asked grinning.   
  
"Let Max go, take me instead." Krit offered.   
  
"Or me." Alec added. Jet sighed.   
  
"Why does everyone offer that, 1- no, Ames wants her to get his son back 2- I would rather be in the company of a female than a male. Now have fun guys." he said then pulled a lever, releasing a crank that slowly started pulling them up. Alec looked at the crack and saw that it would lower them on a conveyer belt which lead under a large car crusher. Alec swallowed hardly.   
  
"Trouble, TROULE!" Alec replied tugging on Krit's sleeve.   
  
Krit's eyes widened as the crank began lifting them up. Max's eyes widened under Jet's large hand over her mouth. Jet then threw her down hard to the ground and walked over to the lever he pulled. Max jumped up and also ran over there trying to stop it. Jet backhanded her and she fell to the ground again, her cheek burning with pain and heat.   
  
She had never been SMACKED that hard ever, of course she WAS dealing with a darn familiar. Max watched Jet break the lever, making it stick on the on button. Max made a notion to punch him but he caught her wrist and yanked her up and easily getting her into the position he had her in before.   
  
"NO! LET ME GO YOU FREAK! LEAVE MY BROTHER AND FRIEND ALONE! PLEASE STOP IT!" she screamed as loud as she could.   
  
"God, your annoying already." Jet said placing his hand tightly back over her mouth.   
  
Jet looked up at Alec and Krit and smiled widely gave a mocking solute and the started walking off, dragging Max behind him.   
  
Alec looked at Krit fearful.   
  
"They got Max." Krit said in a failing voice.   
  
"Yeah, um, Krit." Alec said looking down as it was lowering them on the conveyer belt.   
  
"I can't believe I just let that guy take her away." Krit said depressed.   
  
"Krit….." Alec replied.   
  
"What kinda brother am I?" Krit asked having a break down.   
  
"KRIT!" Alec shouted at him grabbing his shoulders.   
  
"WHAT!?" Krit shouted in the same tone.   
  
"We NEED to get out of here before we become pancakes! Then we'll defiantly fail Max." Alec replied.   
  
Krit looked at him then after some thought he shook his head in agreement.   
  
"Yes, we need to get out, now!" Krit agreed.   
  
Jet dragged Max across the street and up to a car, where Max suddenly bit down onto his palm. Feeling a little tingle he looked down.   
  
"You bitch." he hissed at her then threw her into his car.   
  
Max groaned in pain as her head went through the window in the back seat. He then opened the passenger's seat and yanked her up and sat her down in the passenger's seat.   
  
He hooked one handcuff to her right wrist and then locked the other around his gear changer, the one that determines if your in 'reverse' or 'drive.' and then grabbed another handcuff and handcuffed her free wrist to the little bar above the window (You know the one where you clutch when Alec is drivin;) ) She tried to struggle against them but they didn't budge. Jet smiled, winked and slammed the door shut then walked over and got in the driver's seat and looked at her.   
  
"You know, they weren't kidding when they said your were really beautiful and intimidating." he said turning the car on.   
  
"Glad to know people like me." she said mockingly.   
  
He then leaned over a kissed her. Max tried to get him off but realized her hands were restrained so she pushed him off with her feet. It was freaky enough this guy was kissing her period, but he still looked like Zack and that just grossed her out.   
  
"Sick bastard." she mumbled at him.   
  
Jet only laughed and threw the thing into drive, moving her arm back because the thing went back and he took off driving, fairly fast. Max looked out the window, wondering if Alec and Krit made it out. 


	21. Deals

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS;)  
  
HOPE YOU LIKE!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
NATASHA  
  
The crank dropped them hard on the conveyer belt which was moving slowly to the large car smasher. Krit and Alec tried as hard as they could to bend or break the bars, but they wouldn't budge.   
  
"Darn it!" Alec cried out in anger.   
  
"We can't shake em'" Krit said helplessly.   
  
"We're getting closer, now what's the plan?" Alec asked  
  
. Krit looked around and thought.   
  
"Help me tip it over." he said finally.   
  
"Right." Alec said.   
  
Then him and Krit jumped up and pushed it over, when they landed, they landed on their side.   
  
"Hurry up, get up, we have to do it once more, only a part of it is off the belt." Krit ordered.   
  
Alec and Krit then ran into the side, sending it over and off the conveyer belt, just in time. The cage tumbled and hit the dirt ground hard, as did Alec and Krit.   
  
"Ouch, that was my.............something." Alec said clutching his stomach.   
  
"Ok, we're not in danger anymore, now all we need is to stinkin' get this thing open." he said.   
  
Max looked out the window.   
  
"So tell me about yourself Max." Jet said.   
  
Max looked at him.   
  
"Go to hell." she said.   
  
Jet only grinned at the comment. Max looked at him again.   
  
"Ok, could you please change into somebody else?" she asked.   
  
Jet looked at her with a raised eyebrow.   
  
"Why? Does it feel like your presious brother is betraying you?" he asked.   
  
"No, it's just that everyone changes into Zack and it's starting to piss me off." she answered.   
  
Then she lifted both her legs and pinned his head to the seat. Max saw Jet give a face of annoyance and stopped the car. He grabbed her legs and put them down the moved close to her and clutched her chin.   
  
"And what is it, that you are trying to do?" he asked her.   
  
"Trying to get you to be knocked out so I can get the hell out of here." Max admitted.   
  
"Well sorry to disappoint you Max, but your not going anywhere. But straight to Ames. And your brother." he hissed at her, letting go of her chin.   
  
Max looked at him sadly.   
  
"What did you say?" she asked sadly.   
  
Jet looked at her.   
  
"I said they have one of your brother's, that why I look like Zack Max, because I know for a fact what he looks like." Jet said grinning.   
  
"They have Zack?" she demanded.   
  
Jet smiled.   
  
"Yup." he answered.   
  
She glared at him.   
  
"I don't believe you." she said trying to hold her tears in.   
  
"Believe what you want to believe Max, soon enough, you'll know the truth." he shared as he started up driving.   
  
The two were silent for a while. And soon they showed up in front of the dreaded Conclave building. Jet hopped out and walked around to Max's side and opened the door.   
  
"Here we are." he said smiling un hooking her hands.   
  
Max then sent an elbow into his face and then kicked him in the chest. Jet stumbled back, as Max, taking the advantage, jumped out of the car and bolted for the woods.   
  
"Oh no you don't." he said then grabbed her waist and spun her around, pinning her to the ground.   
  
"Gosh, you're a fiesty one huh?" Jet relied smiling as he hovered over her, making sure that she wouldn't go anywhere. Max clenched her teeth together and tried to get out of his grip on her but she couldn't, he was too strong.   
  
"Nice try love." he replied then yanked her up, keeping a good grip on her shoulders.   
  
Jet led Max in the front door and shoved her violently, chest first into the front door, still holding onto her. max made a noise from the pain but did nothing else. She glared under the hair that fell in her face, really wanting to beat the crap out of him. Max looked around the dully lit room, lit only by candles, it made chills send down her spine. Ames then walked up to them smiling.   
  
"Jet, good work. Very nice. 452, follow me." he answered turning around.   
  
Max didn't move and Jet had to push her to start walking. Ames lead her into a small room where Lydecker was. Jet shoved Max into a chair and then changed back into his actually appearance. He had dark black hair, spiked up. With a smile and an evil face.   
  
"Thought you looked like a chamelion." Max replied looking at him. Jet grinned.   
  
"They did some changes." he shared.   
  
"Alright 452, my son, I want him back rather badly and your going to go get him for me." he said.   
  
"I don't think so." Max told him.   
  
"No?" he asked then nodded his head.   
  
A man walked through the door, holding Zack and then pushed him into a chair next to Ames who was in front of Max. Max's mouth dropped.   
  
"Then I guess you don't mind seeing your brother dead then." he answered cocking a gun and holding it to his temple. Max looked at Zack helplessly.   
  
"Maxie, what ever he wants don't tell him, I don't want to be used against you." he told her.   
  
"Here's the deal 452, you get me my son back in less than 2 days and I won't kill 599 here. We'll do an exchange." he offered.   
  
Max looked at Ames.   
  
"I can't trust you, you wouldn't let him go, you would double cross us or try too." she said sadly.  
  
"Not this time, my son's life is here. Do we have a deal or should I just shut up and pull this trigger?" he asked her.   
  
She looked at Zack who shook his head no then looked at Ames who looked back at her waiting for an answer.   
  
"Fine, I'll get your son back, just don't hurt Zack." she said.   
  
"Agreed, no one touches him. Now you might want to get some sleep....."   
  
"I don't sleep." she inturrupted.   
  
Ames glared at her.   
  
"Right, good you can start now, come on." he hissed grabbing her bicep and yanking her out of the room.   
  
Ames dragged Max down the hall and into a different room.   
  
He then handed her a cell phone.   
  
"I'll call you on this and it's up to you to get him back. Tell no one what you're doing." he hissed at her as he clutched her collar and then shoved her into the wall.   
  
"He better be ok and you better get him back to me or you'll be in some big trouble 452. Now go!" he ordered.   
  
"I don't even know where the kid is! Eyes Only is the one that hide him, not me!" Max yelled at him.   
  
Ames clutched her chin and pulled her closer.   
  
"Then I suggest you find out, go there, get him back and here in less than 2 days." he said then backhanded her.   
  
"Get out of here." he ordered.   
  
Max glared at him then ran out of the building. She looked around the dark night then helplessly looked back at the building. Zack was in there. And she had to get him out, and this was the only way.   
  
She ran back into town and picked up her bike on the way. She sped over to Logan's place. Climbing up onto the roof. She crawled through the venalation system and stopped right in Logan's apartment. Max kicked down the vet and jumped through. Landing like a crouching tiger, not making a noise once she hit the ground. She looked left then right and then, keeping close to the ground, she sneaked over to Logan's computer. She brought it up and began typing various things. After around1/2 hour, she finally found what she was looking for.   
  
"Ray White. Parkersburg, West Virginia." she told herself. 


	22. Finding Ray

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS;) HOPE YOU LIKE  
  
LOVE YOU  
  
NAT  
  
Max sat crouched in the bushes across the street from where the house that Ray White lived. She examined it carefully, focusing on it. The ring of a cell phone made her jump as it disturbed her thoughts. She picked it up and raised it to her ear.   
  
"What?" she said annoyingly.   
  
"Do you have him yet?" he asked.   
  
"I am standing right outside his house." she answered.   
  
"Good, better hurry up you only have one day left." Ames warned.   
  
"You don't think I don't know that!?" she screamed at him then hung up placing the phone back in her pocket.   
  
She got up, looked both left and right and then started running low across the road. Which was wet, she figured it had rained recenty as lot of things were wet. Lightening flew and thunder roared as she made her way to the front door. Suddenly, something caught her eye. A broken window. Max looked at the door knob and grabbed it, turning it, it was unlocked.   
  
Once the door opened her mouth dropped. There was broken glass everywhere and torn wood and a man dead in the front of the front door. She shivered as she saw the gun shot wound and a puddle of blood beneath him. Max looked around and walked slowly up to the man and slowly lowered herself to squatting position. She ran her hand over his eyes, closing them.   
  
She looked to the left, in the kitchen and got up and walked slowly in there, seeing it deserted. Suddenly someone ran in. Max looked at the man in a trench coat who stopped and glared back.   
  
"You're a familiar, where's the kid!" she shouted at him.   
  
Suddenly he punched her hard in the face, causing her to spin around and luckily the counter stopped her from moving any further. The man grabbed the back of her head and slammed it into the window in front of her, smashing it to pieces. Max groaned in pain and then jumped up and wrapped her legs around the man's neck she thought it was and slammed him to the ground. Max yanked her head outof the window and turned around and looked at the man getting up.   
  
Max kicked him in the face and he just fell back. Max turned around and ripped a blender from the wall and smashed it over his head. He closed his eyes and merly just got up. Max looked around from something and then just punched him in the face and grabbed his neck and broke it. Max moved back and let the body fall to the ground. Max was breathing hardly as she looked around, a long deep cut on her forehead. She moved her hair away and contiuned walking through the house, there was something that that familiar didn't want her to see.   
  
She walked up the stairs seeing nothing on the downstairs and then suddenly there was a dead woman and another dead man with a trench coat on. She saw her shot and the man shot. She also saw 2 guns, guessing she shot him in self defense and he had shotten her moments after he got shot.   
  
She looked to her left and then froze. She ran into a room and saw a boy laying on the floor, also in a puddle of blood.   
  
"RAY! No." she whisphered checking his pulse and trying to wake him up.   
  
"Ray." she said crying as she sat down and leaned her back against the wall.   
  
"Zack." she added crying harder covering her eyes.   
  
She didn't know how much time has past but it has been a long time. Tear streamed cheeks and red, red eyes. She got up and grabbed a camer and took pictures of the man and the woman and the 2 trench coat men. Max then picked Ray up and walked outside, it was pouring down the rain. She walked across the street and put him over her bike looked around and was off. 


	23. The Truth

AUTHOR'S NOTE- OK GUYS HERE IS YOUR NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
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Max drove faster than ever all the way back to Seattle. She checked down at her watch and saw that she had 5 hours, which was good, she should be arriving in Seattle in one hour. She was scared. What was Ames going to do once he found out his kid is dead? Well to be technical, she isn't doing anything wrong, she's bringing him to Ames, it was Ames that failed to mention dead or alive.   
  
She continued to drive for an hour and saw the sign telling her she was entering Seattle. She drove to the one place she never thought she would ever willingly go, the Breeding Cult Building. She swerved up to a park in front of it and turned her bike off. She took her sunglasses off as she stared at the building. She slowly got off and picked the little body of Ray in her arms and walked in. The dim candle lit building scaring her already.   
  
"Ah, 452.............Ray." he said happily, but trying to keep his emotions in. Max looked at him sadly and then laid him on the ground.   
  
Ames face changed as he ran up and knelt beside his boy. He felt his pulse the slowly looked up at Max, glaring at her. She then threw down the pictures she had taken.   
  
"When I got in the house, this is what it looked like. They were attacked. BY FAMILIARS, believe me I had to fight one, see the one in the kitchen, I killed him." Max said.   
  
"No, I don't believe you, YOU KILLED HIM!" he shouted at her.   
  
Max also knelt down and turned him over on his side so that his back was facing him.   
  
"LOOK! Ames, a bullet wound. I don't use guns. Ever since Lydecker shot Eva and shot Zack and I seen that it killed peopel I love, I don't use the damn things, I never have." Max said.   
  
"Why would familiars attack my son?" Ames asked smartly.   
  
"I don't know but how would I get these pictures if they didn't?" she asked standing up.   
  
"I think your lying, my son is dead!" he yelled in anger then took out a gun, walked up to Zack who was tied to a chair and shot him in the head.   
  
Max's heart stopped as she watched his head fall against his chest, dead.   
  
"ZACK! NO! I can't believe you killed him!" She screamed as she ran up to him, but Ames stopped her by pulling her waist and slammed her up against a wall, pinning her body to it.   
  
"My brother, my oldest brother, you bastard!" she screamed at him tears running down her cheeks.   
  
"See 452, now we're both feeling the same thing here." he told her.   
  
Max contiuned to cry uncontrolably.   
  
"Stop crying, now." Ames ordered.   
  
Max tried but couldn't Ames then held a gun to her temple.   
  
"Stop it!" he screamed at her.   
  
Max then looked over at Zack again and stopped. Instead of sitting where Zack was a redhead boy was.   
  
"That's not Zack." she said happily.   
  
Ames looked at it.   
  
"Huh, didn't know if you killed one that they returned to their natural form." Ames said to himself.   
  
"You never had Zack!" she asked.   
  
Ames looked at him and grinned.   
  
"No, we don't know where he is 452." he answered truthfully.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
"So you were going to have me hand deliver your son to you and then what, not let me go!?" she shouted at him.   
  
"Bingo." Ames hissed.   
  
Max kneed him in the stomach and punched him off of her. He didn't feel the pain but force pushed him off. Max bolted for the door but right when she was about to run out the doors shut and locked on her. Max pushed on it trying to escape, finding it no luck she spun around to her enemies.   
  
"Give it up 452, it's you and all these familiars, you can't win." Ames shared as him and 3 familiars walked up to her.   
  
Ames raised his fist to hit her when suddenly something busted through the doors, shattering glass everywhere. Max covered her face as did the others.   
  
"What's at this party?" a familiar voice asked.   
  
Max looked up and saw Alec standing in front of her, holding Ames arm. Alec looked back at Max.   
  
"That's not very nice." Alec shared then kicked him in the side and threw him into one of his buddies.   
  
"Max, you ok?" Alec called to her.   
  
"Yeah!" she called back.   
  
Krit then peeked through the hole that Alec made and led her out of it. Max ran to her bike and got on, scooting far up as she could, Krit hopped on as well scooting as close to her body as hecould, locking his arms around her waist, leaving just enough room for Alec. MAx turned it on and placed her feet on the ground, ready to ride.   
  
"Come on Alec." Max said.   
  
Soon Alec came running out of the building and jumped on.   
  
"GO!" Alec shouted.   
  
Max put her feet up and they were off, getting lost into the darkness, with just her engine sound to comfort Ames. 


	24. Funeral in the Woods?

AUTHOR'S NOTE- OK FANS HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU ENJOY AND LET'S GET SOME MORE REVIEWS IN PPL!!!!:) THANK YOU FOR ALL THAT DO REVIEW AND BO, I'M GLAD YOUR BACK;) LIL KIM, ROSWELL-X5-LIZ, MEL, RINGO-GURL07, THANKS FOR ALWAYS REVIEWING AND SAYING THE NICEST STUFF:) ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
NATASHA  
  
~*****CARPE DIEM*****~  
  
"So how did you two get out, I thought you were done for." Max said sitting on her couch, trying to get her mind off of what just happened.   
  
"We thought that too." Krit admitted.   
  
"So we managed to manuver it off the converybelt and onto the ground, it took us a while but we picked the lock." Alec added.   
  
Logan walked in with a tray of mugs streaming. Each took one and Max took a sip.   
  
"Umm, hot chocolate. Thanks Logan, you rock." Max said.   
  
She hadn't tasted hot chocolate in ages. Logan grinned and took a sip from his mug as well.   
  
"So, Ray's dead? Poor kid." Logan said.  
  
Max shook her head in agreement.   
  
"Ok, wait Max, you said these familiar things, they killed him?" Krit asked.   
  
Max shook her head yes.   
  
"And Ames is one of hese things and they're a cult, which means practically family, why would they kill one of their 'brothers' kid?" Krit asked confused.   
  
Max thought.   
  
"Revenge?" Alec suggested.   
  
"A test?" Logan added for another option.   
  
"Or so they could clear his mind from Ray." Max said.   
  
Alec looked at Max.   
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.   
  
"Ray has been giving Ames emotions, and everytime he sees me he demands to know where his son is, maybe the breeding cult didn't want Ames becoming attatched to Ray because he'll develop emotions and feelings for him and it'll take his mind off of finding us." Max explained.   
  
"Maybe, thats the best explination we have so far." Logan replied.   
  
Suddenly Max's pager went off. She looked at Alec confused and picked it up.   
  
"It's Syl." she said scared.   
  
Krit looked at her in alarm.   
  
"Syl's paging you?" he asked.   
  
Max got up and grabbed the phone and dialed her cell number.   
  
"Hello?" a voice whisphered.   
  
"Syl, are you ok?" Max asked noticing the softness in her voice.   
  
"Max, I'm in Seattle, in the woods north of the city. Ben's on my tail, I need your help, PLEASE baby sister, I'm.......I'm so scared." she said terrified.   
  
"Ok, hold on, I'm on my way." Max said then hung up.   
  
"Whats going on?" Krit demanded standing up.   
  
"Ben's after Syl, she's in the woods north of here, we need to get her out." Max said grabbing her jacket.   
  
"Let's go then!" Krit said running out the door, Max Alec and Logan following him.  
  
"Split up, Krit take east, Alec, west, Logan go south, I'll go north. No matter what we meet back here in 20 minutes then go from there, shout as loud as you can if you need help, go!" Max ordered and the 4 took off their own ways.   
  
Max looked around, it was pitch black besides the light the moon gave. There was dew on the ground and the air was a little chilly. She moved slowly and accuratly, keeping her knees bent and arms out at her side, ready for anything. Her head jolted from left to right easily and often, scanning the area for her older sister. Ben smiled as he pressed his back up against a tree and peered around it, seeing Max walk slowly in front of him. Ben then pushed her chest first against a tree and wrapped his hand over her mouth. Max winced as Ben forced her body onto the tree.   
  
"You shouldn't have come here Maxie, your just making yourself more easy to catch. Why did you come Max? To help Syl? Ha, Syl's dead, you got here too late little sister, I already killed her. " Ben hissed in her ear.   
  
Max tried to say something but Ben couldn't understand thanks to his hand preventing her to say anything hardly.   
  
"I'm gonna let go of your mouth, but if you even scream for help, Maxie, I'm gonna be, very, MAD. Got it?" he asked yanking her violently.   
  
Max shook her head yes in understanding.  
  
"Good." he said then slowly let go of her mouth.   
  
"Your lying, you didn't kill Syl, Lydecker would be pissed." she said still wincing as he shoved her into the tree more.   
  
"Lydecker gave me go ahead to kill Syl, she's not as important as Zack is or you or even Tinga and Krit." Ben whisphered to her.   
  
" I still don't believe you, you would have to be heartless if you killed your own sister. And the Ben I used to know loved us all very much." Max hissed behind clentched teeth, praying that he was bluffing.   
  
"Yeah, well that Ben's dead Max, you killed him, this is the new Ben and if you don't like it, you have yourself to thank for that." Ben replied.   
  
"You asked me too, so I did because I loved you as a brother. So I did." she responded.   
  
"Let's go see Syl shall we?" Ben asked yanking her off the tree and gripping her shoulder.   
  
Ben pushed her through the woods until finally they came to the spot. Max gasped once she saw Sly's body lying on the ground. Max slowly walked up to it and slowly sqautted down next to it. She touched her sister's neck, her skin felt cold and clammy, no pulse. Max shot up and spun around, Ben expecting she would spaze out grabed her and grabbed her mouth again. Tears fell from her eyes, some landing on Ben's hand.   
  
She then elbowed him in the stomach and rammed her head back into his face. Ben stumbled back in pain as Max whirled around and then kicked him in the side and raised her leg and kicked him in the side of her head. Ben fell back on his back, wincing in pain. Max walked up to him and tried to kick him in the stomach but Ben grabbed her ankle and yanked her down. Max landed hardly on her side but didn't waste anytime. Ben still had a hold of her ankle so she rammed it into his face, causing Ben to roll over on his side, his back now facing her, him freeing her ankle. Max rolled backwards on the ground and stood to her feet, going into a back handspring and landing in the fightening stance.   
  
"Come on get up." she told Ben in an angry voice.   
  
Ben slowly stood up and faced her, not a happy face on as blood dripped from his nose and mouth. Ben lunged at her, sending his left arm at her. Max lifted her right arm and blocked his hit and then Ben sent his right arm at her, Max the raised her left arm and again blocked his blow. Max kneed him in the stomach and then spun around and leashed out her leg, landing the spinning kick in his face. Ben stumbled back. Ben turned around and leashed out his leg which ,Max blocked with her hand, and Max then grabbed his wrist and sent her heel back into the back of his calf, causing him to fall back on his back.   
  
Ben tried to swip Max's feet out from underneath of her but Max jumped up and grabbed a hold of a branch. Frustrated that he didn't trip her her stood up and watched herflip over the branch. Max landed on Ben, his head in between her legs. Max then immediatly leaned back, placing her hands on the ground and brought him over her and crashing head first into the ground with her legs. Max stood up and had her fists raised. Ben stood up as well and just stood in front of his sister.   
  
"You...." Max began punching him across the left cheek.   
  
"Heartless....." Max added as she kneed him in the stomach and kicked him in the side of his left calf and punched his face again.   
  
"Bastard." she finished spinning around and kicking him in the chest sending him back into a tree.   
  
Ben looked at Max who glared back, strands of hair in her face. Max walked up to him and then tried to punch him. Ben grabbed it and wrapped it around behind her back Max winced in pain and groaned in frustration. Ben pushed Max to the ground, tightening the grip on her arm and pushed her face near Sly's.   
  
"Do you want this to happen to you Maxie? Do you want me to kill you, if you do then I suggest you continue ticking my clock." Ben replied behind clenched teeth pulling her arm hard across her back and digging his fingers into her scalp.   
  
Max clenched her teeth together to keep the pain out but it wasn't working.   
  
"Lydecker wouldn't like that." Max managed to say.   
  
"Your right, I wouldn't kill you but believe me, I would make you come close to it Max." he hissed at her.   
  
Suddenly someone kicked Ben off. Max caught herself over Syl, thankful the pain was gone.   
  
"Ben, I am this far from killing YOU so if you wanna live I suggest you run, and run hard! Because the next time I see you hurting or killing MY family, heck THE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU, I will kill you." a voice warned.   
  
"I'm part of your family too." Ben said.   
  
"I kill you to keep them safe now get the hell out of here before I change my mind." the voice warned again.   
  
Max heard Ben take off and run and then felt a hand on her shoulder. Max turned her head and saw Zack looking down at her.   
  
"Zack." she choked out in tears.   
  
"Shh." Zack pleaded sqautting down beside Max and letting her fall into his arms.   
  
"I tried to get to her, I tried to save her, but I couldn't." Max said crying into his shoulder hardly.   
  
"Shh, Max you did your best, I couldn't get to her either." Zack said softly, trying to calm her down.   
  
"It's not fair, I wish they would just stop, I just want to be left alone." Max said crying harder holding Zack tight to her, the real Zack this time, Max could tell.   
  
Zack looked at the ground sadly, hating to hear Max like this.   
  
"You have to be strong baby sister." Zack reminded her.   
  
Max breathed, sniffing and continued to cry.   
  
"I'm tired of being strong." she told him. 


	25. Deprssion State

AUTHOR'S NOTE- OK GUYS HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER!!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU LIKE IT, BUT PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I NEED MORE PPL REVIEWING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! COME ON, SHARE THOSE OPINIONS;) HOPE YOU LIKE,   
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
nat  
  
PS- PLEASE OVER LOOM ALL SPELLING MISTAKES, I DON'T HAVE SPELLCHECK AND IT IS 1:47 IN THE MORNING, I AM VERY TIRED AND I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY DON'T WANT TO REREAD IT, I'M ABOUT READY TO PASS OUT, BUT I HAD TO UPDATE TONIGHT, SO I AM DOING IT. JUST DON'T GET ON MY BACK ABOUT THE SPELLING MISTAKE THAT MIGHT BE IN HERE, YOUR SMART PPL, YOU LIKR DARK ANGEL, SO I AM SURE THAT YOU'LL UNDERSTAND WHAT I MEAN TO SAY;) THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NOW TO ME BED;) HEHE  
  
Krit ran up to Zack and Max, seeing Zack holding Max. Zack glanced over as Krit looked at him helplessly and sadly. Zack turned his eyes away and looked down at the ground, avoiding his brother's eyes. Krit then had a bad feeling, something was wrong. Krit walked up closer to them and then saw Syl's body behind them, she wasn't moving and her eyes closed.   
  
"Syl!" Krit replied running up to her and squatting down beside her, feeling her pulse.   
  
"She's dead Krit." Zack said softly and sadly.   
  
Krit looked blankly at Zack then fell on his butt from the shock as he looked at her. Logan and Alec then showed up, both hearing Max crying.   
  
"Are you sure?" Krit asked getting tears in his eyes.   
  
"Yea, Ben killed her." Zack added in the same tone.   
  
Alec looked at Logan helplessly who only returned the look.   
  
"Ben......killed, our sister?" Krit asked his voice craking as he tried not to cry.   
  
Zack shook his head yes. Zack had no tears in his eyes, he just had an emotionless face, he didn't know weither to be mad or sad.   
  
"Ben said that Lydecker told him it was ok to kill Syl." Max said finally letting up from Zack's shoulder.   
  
Zack sighed and whipped the tears away from her face with his thumb then looked at Krit who looked confused.   
  
"Why would Lydecker do that? I thought he wanted all of us?" Krit replied.   
  
"I don't know. I don't know why he wants us so badly." Zack replied.   
  
"Ben said he didn't want Syl that bad." Max responded.   
  
"So naturally they kill her to get to you. To try and make you crack." Alec acknowledged taking a step closer to his friends.   
  
They all looked at him then away.   
  
"I hate to be the bad news carrier, but since this is such a depressing moment anyway, FYI guys, I don't think these people are going away." Alec replied squatting down beside them.   
  
"So what are you saying, it's only a matter of time before they bag us?" Krit asked.   
  
"No, well..........yes, I don't know, but I swear on my grave that as long as Ames White is living and breathing on this earth, Max isn't safe and he'll be after her until the day he dies. Now Lydecker, I don't know his deal, I didn't know him as well as you guys did, but I think he won't stop either. I mean think about it, even if, oh my gosh, the public finds out completely, and they accept us, like they don't think anything of us, and we can walk down the street able to show our barcode, everything........that won't stop them. They'll still try to get us." Alec said.   
  
"Alec's right, Manticore's never going away, no matter how many times you try to destroy it. There is always gonna be someone." Logan agreed.   
  
"You know, I think we all know that deep down inside, but we just didn't want to believe it." Zack agreed.   
  
"I thought of that possibility all the time, I kept it in the back of my head, but I always hopped that they would just give up." Krit said running his hands through his gelled hair.   
  
"Oh they will, they might give up on everything, except you 12.............or what's left of you." Alec replied.   
  
"Why?" Zack asked confused.   
  
Alec looked at him.   
  
"One, they have the MOST information about you, months after you escaped, information ad files about all of you were pouring out off offices and stuff, and 2 well.........the night you guys got out, yeah Lydecker was pissed, but he was also proud. All of Manticore was proud, but mad. You managed to get out, I mean NO ONE thought you guys would make it, even if you got out they thought it would be a matter of weeks before they gt all of you. Lydecker, Madam X, everyone said the best of you got out in '09. Do you have any idea, HOW MANY attempts transgenics made to get out. They throught it was easy because it's been done before. At least every other night until Max burned the place down some transgenic or some group of transgenics tried to get out, but ever single one failed. And I think Lydecker wants to know why, why you were the only ones able to make it out of there." Alec replied.   
  
The 3 looked at each other, having no clue that Lydecker thought that.  
  
"Believe me, they always talked about you when I was there. I think they wanna breed from you guys so they can make transgenics like you, I guess 'better,' 'stonger,' and have an army with your traits. " Alec replied.   
  
Max looked at Zack who only looked back. Krit gave a face that ment, 'GROSS'.   
  
"They need a better hobby." Max said quietly.   
  
"Hell yea." Krit agreed.   
  
"How could a person be so sick, Lydecker knows about our 'brother/sister' relationship with all of us." Zack said trying to shake the image from his brain.   
  
"To him, it doesn't matter as long as he gets the army that he always wanted." Logan replied.   
  
They all thought.   
  
"We could run becuase I don't know about you but I don't wanna screw Jondy or Max or Tinga." Krit suggested.   
  
"They would follow, especially if you have Max with you, at least Ames would." Logan said.   
  
"And I'm not leaving her." Zack said if Max was thinking about telling them to leave her behind and run for their lives.   
  
"I know what happened before, and I'm not letting anyone else pose as me and try and screw you guys over. I know what happened, I have my sources." Zack shared.   
  
"Yea it screwed us." Krit agreed.   
  
Zack sighed.   
  
"I think we should have the others come back." Zack suggested, not wanting to do it.  
  
"I don't think Tinga would come, what about her family?" Max asked.   
  
"She's gonna have to leave them." Zack said.   
  
"Yea right Zack, she would die for them, no way is she gonna leave them and never look back." Max said.   
  
Zack looked at Max.   
  
"She's gonna have too, if she stays with them, it's only a matter of time before they find her and kill them. And I don't think she wants to see them killed, ESPECIALLY by Manticore." Zack pointed out.   
  
Max didn't say anything, he was right. Max stood up as did Zack and Krit. Max paced trying to figure out what to do, Krit just stood looking at the stars and Zack pulled out his cellphone, getting ready to contact all of them.   
  
Suddenly somethnig jumpd out from a tree and landed behind Max, grabbing her by the throat and flipping her backwards, Max hitting the ground on he back hard. Every eye went to her.   
  
"Max!" Zack called getting ready to run over and punch the guys lights out, but before he could someone landed in front of him and kicked him in the face.   
  
Krit noticed this and was about ready to go help Max since Zack couldn't, but someone then landed on top of him, knocking him to the ground. Alec pushed Logan behind a bush and then noticed there were about 15 guards with teasers coming near them. Zack jumped up and noticed it as well. Krit punched the man that was on top of him and kicked him in the side, then grabbed his collar and ran him into a tree and turned, his back to Alec, so no one could sneak up on either of them. Max rammed her foot into the man's grion that threw her to the ground and then punched him in the face. She watched him drop to the ground and then stood up, fists raised as she slowly backed up to come back to back with Zack.   
  
"Oh please." Max said.   
  
One lunged at Max and Zack at the same time. Max grabbed the arm that the teaser was in, the one that was out stretched in attempt to hit her,Max kneed him in the stomach and ripped the teaser from his hand and threw it to the ground. Zack grabbed his attacker the same way Max did hers and the yanked him to his left as Max yanked her attacker to her right, running them into each other, both falling to the ground, knocked out.   
  
"Who's next!?" Max demanded.   
  
More closed in faster. Alec kicked one in the chest and the punched another then threw him into the man he kicked in the chest. Krit blocked a punch and grabbed the man's arm and broke it and kicked him down to the ground. The 4 continued to fight all until all were either knocked out or in too much pain to move. Max suddenly threw her fist to her right side, sensing someone over there. Someone caught it. Her eyes widened once she come in contact with him.   
  
"Ames." she said scared.   
  
Ames grinned.   
  
"Hello love, hope you didn't give all your energy and ass kicking to these losers." Ames said then lifted her up and threw her into a tree.   
  
"Max!" Zack called as he saw Ames walking up to her.   
  
He ran at Ames and tackled him to the ground. Krit watched Zack tackle the familiar but suddenly felt someone punched him. Krit fell to the ground but his enemy didn't give him anytime to recover before he grabbed his collar and rammed him against a tree.   
  
"Ben." Krit said softly as his feet dangled as Ben lifted him off the ground.   
  
"Krit, little Krit, is that you baby brother. Wow you haven't changed much since the last time I saw you." Ben said smiling at him.   
  
"You killed Syl." he said meanly.   
  
"Uhhh, yea I did, what are you going to do about it. Maybe you'll be next." Ben said.   
  
"Ben." a voice said.   
  
Krit looked to his left as did Ben and saw Lydecker walk up.   
  
"Your not killing Krit." Lydecker said.   
  
Ben lowered him to where he was standing, but had his hands behind his back, holding them there with his strong grip. Lydecker placed a hand on Krit's shoulder. And looked him over, examining him.   
  
"Get off of me." Krit warned.   
  
"Now Krit is that any way to talk to me?" Lydecker asked.   
  
Krit wanted to say something but thought it best if he kept his mouth shut.   
  
"That's what I thought. I miss ya Krit, when are you going to come back home?" Lydecker asked smiling.   
  
"Not anytime soon." Krit hissed at him.   
  
Lydecker looked at Syl's body.   
  
"I see Syl is decesed." Lydecker said.   
  
"Shut up." Krit warned.   
  
Suddenly Alec kicked Lydecker in the chest and tackled Ben off Krit. Krit looked back and saw Alec wrestling with Ben. Krit looked at Lydecker and smiled evily.   
  
Zack pinned Ames to the ground but Ames lifted his leg and hit him on the back, knocking Zack off of him. Ames jumped up as did Zack.   
  
"Zack, don't! You don't know what your getting yourself into!!!" Max shouted as she jumped up.   
  
Zack tried to kick Ames but he smacked it away and then caught Zack's punch and kicked him in the stomach sending him flying back. Ames then turned around and grabbed Max by the throat and lifted her up off the ground. Max grabbed his wrist as her feet dangled.   
  
"Now I could really kill one of your loved ones 452, consiering you killed mine." Ames said digging his finers into her throat.   
  
She winced but looked him in the eyes never the less.   
  
"DON'T! I didn't kill Ray, I'm not that heartless. Please, don't do anything to my family." Max said loosing breath.   
  
"So you understand how I'm feeling?" Ames said behind his teeth.   
  
"I understand why your upset, but you got to believe me, I would have stopped them if it wasn't too late. I wouldn't do anything so stupid if it envolved my family too." Max said struggling to get down.   
  
"Why would the conclave kill my son then!?" Ames shouted.   
  
"So you wouldn't get to attatched to him, so you would concentrate on what they told you to do more than spending time with him, I DON'T KNOW!" she said now finding it hard to breath.   
  
Ben then punched Alec down and grabbed Krit off of Lydecker, who was being punched by Krit, and threw Krit on Alec. Alec winced as he fell on top of him.   
  
"OUCH! Sorry Alec." Krit groaned.   
  
"No prob." Alec said.   
  
Ames then let Max go from the throat and lowered her onto the ground and threw her into Lydecker. Max looked at him and screamed and tried to get away but Lydecker grabbed her and held her tight.   
  
"Let me go!" she shouted at him.   
  
"Hello again Max, you might want to meet your new breeding partner." Lydecker said looking at Ben.   
  
Max looked at him too meanly as he grinned.   
  
"He inches a little closer, I'll make SURE he can't have kids." she hissed at them.   
  
Suddenly a shot fired out, landing in Lydecker's hand. Lydecker howled in pain and dropped Max. Alec then got up and shoved Ben into a tree. Krit got up and elbowed Lydecker in the face, knocking him out. Zack ran up to Max, grabbed her hand and took off running into the woods, Logan, Alec, and Krit followed.   
  
"Now what!?" Alec shouted as they ran, knowing Ben and Ames were following them.   
  
"Don't worry, make for the road, I got us covered!" Logan shouted.   
  
Max was going a little faster than normal considering Zack was almost dragging her, she moved low branches and leaves out of her way as she ran. Suddenly Ames jummped in front of her and Zack. Zack let Max go and shoved her righ and he went left. max continued running as did Zack.   
  
"THIS ISN'T WORKING OUT TOO WELL LOGAN!" Zack shouted.   
  
"Almost there!" Logan shouted back.   
  
Ben then jumped out in front of Alec and Krit.   
  
"WHOA!" Alec shouted in fear.   
  
Krit and Alec dogged him and continued running. Ben looked at then run and smile.   
  
"There's the road!" Max said happily.   
  
"I don't think so girly girl." Ben told her as he jumped from behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back and throwing her on the ground, pinning her down. Ben sat on her stomach and held her arms down. Krit saw this and looked back.   
  
"Max!" Krit shouted.   
  
Zack stopped and looked knowing Krit didn't shout Max's name just for the heck of it. Ben grinned.   
  
"Guess we both have to get used to this position huh Maxie?" Ben asked.   
  
"Go to hell, and get off me!" she shouted at him.   
  
Krit kicked Ben in the ribs, air draining from his lungs as he fell off Max. Krit helped her up and they all continued running. The 5 busted out of the forest and saw police cas.   
  
"Thanks Matt, owe you!" Logan shouted as they ran into town.   
  
"NO problem Logan!" Matt shouted back.   
  
Suddenly Ames and Ben ran out, Matt and police men stopped them immedialty. Ames glared at them as he watched them disappear into town. 


	26. Goodbyes

AUTHOR'S NOTE- OK GUYS NEXT CHAPTER UP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! SORRY TOOK SO LONG TO UPDATE U GOT WRITER'S BLOCK! BUT NOW I'M BACK AND I HOPE YOU GUYS EBJOY THIS CHAPTER, READ MY COMMENT ON THE LAST CHAPTER IN MY REVIEW'S SECTION, JUST SOMETHING I WANTED TO CLEAR UP ABOUT THE BREEDING THING THAT LYDECKER SAID ABOUT MAX AND BEN, I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO READ THAT JUST SO EVERYONE DOESN'T THINK I'M SOME SICK FREAK B/C THAT'S NOT THE CASE OK;) JUST READ IT, OK, THANKS LOTS AND KEEP REVIEWING GUYS! YOU'RE THE BEST!!!!!!!!!! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!  
  
*****CARPE DIEM******  
  
NAT  
  
"Ben..................killed............Syl. Our sister, he killed her." Krit told himself aloud not beliving his once loved brother killed Syl.   
  
"And there is nothing stopping him from killing the rest of us." Zack added looking from Krit to Max.   
  
"Lydecker." she added quietly.   
  
"Yea well Lydecker is stupid, if he was smart he would just forget about us and try and destroy us but no, he wants us back for some odd reason, why doesn't he just kill us?" Zack said to himself.   
  
"Because he 'loves us' ha, love yea right." Krit said rubbing his eyes tiredly.   
  
Alec yawned and looked left from right and sat down, noticing they were in the City Park.   
  
"Ames was in charge of hunting us down and killing us, why has he sided with Lydecker and keeping us alive?" Alec asked them.   
  
They all thought.   
  
"Change of heart." Zack suggested.   
  
"Or he's playing a game, until he gets close to you so he can finally get you, throw Lydecker out of the picture and kill you all." Logan added.   
  
"Ok, I think we need to get out of the state. Krit you and I are leaving tonight." Zack ordered then laid his eyes on Max.   
  
"Should I even ask?" he asked her.  
  
Max looked at him sadly.   
  
"Max, why are you doing this to yourself? Your staying in a state with Ben, Lydecker, Ames and God knows what else. You'll be doing yourself a lot of good if you just run." Zack replied.  
  
"Running, Zack, isn't going to to ANYTHING. The only thing running will do for me is cause Ames to expan his sources all over the world. Zack there is no use in running. Manticore is NEVER going away, and if I run Ames will follow and he'll get more help and better technology and it will all end up cornering me in a corner. So I am staying here, and fightening them." Max told him calmly.   
  
Zack sighed and then walked up and hugged her deeply, closing his eyes.   
  
"Reckless." he murmered.   
  
"Ok Krit, let's get out of here." Zack said louder.   
  
Krit looked from Zack to Max back to Zack helplessly.   
  
"Now Krit." Zack ordered.   
  
Krit sighed and walked up to Max and gave her a big hug. But she then felt his hand on her butt.   
  
"If you need anything or if your in trouble page me, and I won't hesitate to come over here. I love you Maxie." he whisphered in her ear, then kissed her on the cheek on then on the forehead and turned and followed Zack away into the night.   
  
She reached in her back pocket and pulled out a slip of paper, noticing Krit slipped his pager number and cell phone number into her back pocket. This made tears swell up in her eyes and she forced herself to hold them back as she looked up and watched her brothers walk away from her. A large lump was caught in her throat and the tears standing in her eyes made it impossible to see anything.   
  
"I love you guys." she choked out.   
  
Both turned around, both seeing tears falling from her eyes. Krit had tears in his eyes as he looked at Zack who's face was emotionless.   
  
"Love you too Max." Zack said then turned around anf pushed Krit gently, telling him to walk and they disappeared around a corner.   
  
Max felt a hand on her shoulder and immediatly turned around and seen Alec and fell into his arms. alec clutched her tightly and rested his hand on the back of her head, trying to comfort her. Logan moved his eyes down to the ground. She pushed her cheek hard into Alec's shoulder as tears poured from her eyes falling on his shirt. She was now in this alone, against them.  
  
Max rode her bike down the street, the streets now flooded with anti transgenic signs. Personally it made her sick, but she wondered if they were anywhere else in the world and not just Seattle. Alec then jammed on his breaks on his bicycle in front of Max, forcing her to stop quickly and almost made her wreck.   
  
"Alec." she scolded.   
  
Alec chuckled as Max punched him in the arm.   
  
"Thought you would like some company delivering that hot run." Alec said motioning towards the package in her bag.   
  
"Sector 12" Max warned.   
  
"Oh I need a little adventure every now and them, anything to get away from Normal for a little while." Alec said grinning, making Max smiled.   
  
"Right, well let's go." she replied then stepped on a pedal and started going again Alec riding beside her down the street.   
  
"So seen Ames anywhere lately?" Max asked him.   
  
"Lots of Ames but not a lot of Lydecker. Wonder where he went too." Alec answered. Max shrugged.   
  
"Dunno, but I'm glad things are dying down a little, it's been almost a month." Max added.   
  
"True, true." Alec pointed out.   
  
Suddenly her cellphone started ringing. Max stopped her bicycle and pulled it from her pocket.   
  
"Go for Max." she answered.   
  
"Max? I need your help." a voice said.   
  
Max's face turned blank.   
  
"Zan?" she replied. 


	27. I'm not Like him

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HEY GUSY HERE IS UR NEXT CHAPTER, I AM GLAD U R ALL LIKEING THE STORY THIS CHAPTER ISN'T VERY ACTION PACKED B/C I HAD TO WRITE THIS FAST B/C IT'S 1:24 AM AND MY MOM IS GETTING ONTO ME FOR NOT GOING TO BED. DON'T WANT TO MAKE THE PARENT MAD!!:) I PROMISE I WILL UP DATE IN 1-2 DAYS AND IT'LL BE AWESOME!!!! SORRY SO SHORT AND ENJOY!! KEEP THOSE REVIEWS COMING!  
  
THANKS ALL!  
  
LOVE YA,  
  
NAT  
  
"Zan, is that you?" Max asked weridly.   
  
"Yea, Max look I need your help, Ben has been hunting my down like a dog." he said.   
  
"Yea he seems to do that to a lot of peope." she answered.   
  
Suddenly she heard a shot ring. Max ducked and looked around her. Alec looked at her weirdly with a raised eyebrow. Max looked at him then noticed he wasn't ducking. She stood up her face blank, the shot came from the other side of the phone.   
  
"Zan?" she asked quietly.   
  
"Zan!?" she spoke louder.   
  
No answer and that made her scared.   
  
"Zan?" she said so quietly it must have almost been a whispher.   
  
"Hey Maxie, how's it hangin'?" a voice asked.   
  
Max's face went serious.   
  
"Ben." she said coldly.   
  
Alec's eyes widened and her striaghtened up in alarm.  
  
"Zan can't talk right now, he's sleeping, permantly." Ben answered.   
  
"You killed Zan?" she asked sadly, showing emotion.   
  
"Killed is such a strong frase baby sister, I prefer........ put out of his misery." Ben corrected.   
  
"Why Ben? Why are you doing this!? Killing your family!?" Max asked in tears.   
  
"Because I have orders to Max, I'm a good solider, I follow orders, and part of my orders are to drag you back to them. And don't you think that I won't hesitate just becuase your the youngest Max. I will carry them out. But I'll deal with you later I got some other little girl to visit in Mexico now, but just when you think your safe Max......you won't be." Ben replied coldy and then the phone went dead.   
  
Max looked blankly at nothing as she pressed the off button and shoved the phone back in her pocket. Alec looked at her.   
  
"What was that about?" Alec asked.   
  
Max turned and looked at him. Alec frowned as she saw fear in her eyes, fear?   
  
"I gotta go." she said quickly turning her bike around.   
  
"Max." Alec replied grabbing her arm before she could go anywhere.   
  
"Look at me." Alec instructed.   
  
Max raised her eyes to his.   
  
"I may sound like him, I may look like him but Max..........I AM NOT Ben, I'm not like him in anyway. I would never hurt you." Alec replied.   
  
Max looked at him her bottom lip shaking.   
  
"Come here." he replied throwing his bike into the rack and took her bike and threw it in the rack next to his. He then tied his bag to his bike and did the same with her's. He sighed and then wrapped his arm around her shoulders.   
  
"We're done with work, tell me what happened." Alec replied walking her down the street.   
  
Alec raised his eyebrows and sighed, holding his hot coffee mug on both sides, keeping his hands warm.   
  
"Wow, that.......that's pretty freaky." Alec replied softly just hearing what Max had to say. Max shook her head yes as she stirred her coffee with a spoon mixing in the milk.   
  
The 2 sat inside a small cafe on the side of the street.   
  
"Sounds like something out of a horror movie, angry brother comes in and kills family, trying to rape youngest sister, crazy." Alec replied shaking his head in shame as he took a drink.   
  
"Only this isn't a movie, and i have made up DNA to top this off." Max answered also taking a drink.   
  
"Well they're trying to kill us all and all we have to do is stick it out I guess." Alec replied.   
  
"Yea, well the chances of that are slim the public's involved, and there are only so many places to hide." Max informed him.   
  
Alec slowly moved his eyes to her.   
  
"You think I haven't already figured that out yet?" Alec asked sadly.   
  
Max didn't say anything and they were both silent as Max tried to think.   
  
"But I'll deal with you later I got some other little girl to visit in Mexico now?" Max said quietly to herself trying to figure out wat he ment.   
  
Alec looked at her weird.   
  
"Excuse me?" Alec asked not hearing ALL of what she said.   
  
Max continued to think then snapped her head up looking up at Alec, gasping.   
  
"Jace, he's going after Jace." she said panically.   
  
Alec looked at her.   
  
"What?" he asked.   
  
"He said he had a little girl to visit in Mexico, JACE LIVES IN MEXICO! He's going to go kill her too, I got to stop him." she shreiked as he jumped up grabbing her coat and running out the door.   
  
"Max!" Alec called chasing her out of the building and into the street, running down it as if someone where chasing them. 


	28. festia del familia

AUTHOR'S NOTE- HERE IS THE NEXT CHAPTER GUYS!!!!!!!!!!!!! HOPE YOU LIKE IT!!! AN PLEASE, I NEED SOME MORE REVIEWS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS BEEN REVIEWING!! BUT I WOULD LIKE MORE;)  
  
THANKS A LOT GUYS AND ENJOY!  
  
LOVE ALL,  
  
~NAT~  
  
~*****CARPE DIEM*****~  
  
Jace whipped her head to the right, her black ponytail following the direction her head went and hung over her left shoulder. Her sharp brown eyes darted from left to right, alert, for what she didn't know but she did have the feeling something was wrong AND someone was following her.   
  
She then turned around suddenly and saw a donkey. She let out a relieved sigh as her body relaxed, thinking it was someone or something more important than a donkey. Jace grinned to herself then turned back around and was about to finish walking, but she saw Ben leaning up against the side of a building a couple of feet in front of her.   
  
"Ben?" she asked looking at him.   
  
"Hey Jace." Ben said casually standing up straight and sticking his hands in his pockets, slowly walking to her.   
  
"What are you doing, in Mexico?" she asked again lowering her guard, realizing it was just her brother.   
  
"Came for the tortillas." Ben replied grinning.   
  
Jace raised an eyebrow. "Right." she answered.   
  
"You seen Zack lately?" he asked. Jace shook her head no.   
  
"You?" she asked him.   
  
"Yea I have in Seattle while checking up on Max." Ben answered.   
  
Jace shook her head yes in understanding.   
  
Suddenly Max ramped on a truck, jumping off her bike. Ben's eyes widened right as the bike smacked into him, knocking him to the ground. Max landed on her feet, crouching to the ground. She looked over at Jace who's eyes were also widened in fear and confusion. Max jumped up and grabbed her hand and drug her down an alley. Ben pushed the bike off of him angrily. A large cut on the right side of his face, blood oozing from it. Alec then showed up, swerving his bike to a stop in front of Ben.   
  
"Ouch." Alec replied.   
  
Ben grinned and then pulled out a gun aiming it at Alec.   
  
"Holy crap!" Alec shouting yanking himself off his bike and taking cover behind it right in time as the bullet hit his bike, where his body would have been.   
  
Max ran as fast as she could down the alley, dragging her sister with her. She stopped once she got to the end of the alley, looking left and then right, not knowing which direction to take. Max's quick eyes then spotted a door on the side of the building on their right. Not asking herself any questions she busted through it and pulled Jace in, slamming it behind her and pushing her back against it, breathing hardly.   
  
"Max, what is going on!?" Jace demanded.   
  
Max put a finger to her lips and told her to be quiet then made a hand motion telling Jace to follow her. Jace nodded and followed Max through the abandoned building. Max ran through the dusty untouched floorboards clear to the end of the building and to the stairs. She guessed this building must have been used for an office building, considering this building had so many stories. Max immediatly began running up them, Jace following.   
  
"Max, slow down, I am getting tired." Jace called to her.   
  
"You can't slow down Jace! Come on!!!" she yelled at her.   
  
Max looked on the side of the wall as she ran up the stairs, a big 4 was on it, telling them that they were on the 4th floor. Suddenly Ben busted through the 4th floor exit door just as Max was about ready to pass it. Ben stopped her, grabbing the collar of her leather jacket and lifting her up, her feet dangling. Max grabbed his wrists as she clenched her teeth.   
  
"Max, why do you have to do this to yourself? I wasn't going to deal with you till later now your forcing me to be mean." Ben replied.   
  
"You already accomplished that on your own Ben." she hissed at him.   
  
"I'll deal with you in a minute." he said then threw her over the edge of the railing.   
  
Jace dropped her mouth. Max fell down and landed on the ground back first.   
  
"Max!" Jace called hovering over the railing, seeing if she was moving.   
  
Max shook the pain off and got up by doing a back hand spring and back walk over.   
  
"JACE! Fight him! He's gonna kill you!" Max screamed at her.   
  
Jace returned her gaze to her brother.   
  
"Please who are you going to believe your younger sister or older brother?" Ben asked her.   
  
"My younger sister." Jace answered eyeing him with fear.   
  
Ben grinned.   
  
"Uh, good choice." he admitted and then lunged at Jace.   
  
Jace grabbed his arm and kneed him in the stomach and threw him back first into the wall. Jace then jumped over the railing, landing on her feet in front of Max. Max looked at Jace.   
  
"Call Zack, get out of this country, just run Jace, Ben is going to kill you, if you can have Zack pick you up he'll know what to do." Max answered then shoved her behind a box just as Ben jumped over the railing himself, landing on his feet, an evil glare on, his brown hair spiked everwhere.   
  
Max whirled around and threw a punch at him which he blocked and she then rammed her head into his, making him stumble back. Max immediatly kneed him the the stomach and then kicked him in the chest. Ben stumbled back more but shook it off and sent a fist flying at her. Max knocked it away, spun around and rammed her elbow into his face. In anger, he kicked her in the face. Max made a noise of pain and caught herself as her body almost gave out on her. She touched her right hand the ground, the only thing catching her. Ben walked up to her and drived his eblow into her back.   
  
Max hit the ground chest first, closing her eyes tight. That really hurt her. She didn't waste anytime as she rolled on her side and sent her leg swipping Ben's out from underneath of him. Ben hit the ground landing on his back as Max jumped up. Max tried to ram her heel into his face but Ben grabbed her ankle just before it hit his face and pushed her off her feet, making her fall on her back as well. Ben hopped up and grabbed her hair and lifter her upper body up, getting out a knife and holding it close to her throat.   
  
"Where is she Maxie?" he demanded.   
  
"Couldn't tell you." Max answered.   
  
He gripped her hair tighter and moved the knife closer.   
  
"Stop lying to me Max." Ben warned her.   
  
Max grinned.   
  
"What are you going to do? Kill me? Go ahead." Max replied.   
  
Max didn't have to look at him to tell he was trying hard to keep his anger in. In response he kneed her in the face and the kicked her hard in the stomach, causing Max to fall on her stomach on pain.   
  
"Where is she Max?" he asked again in a warning voice.   
  
Max didn't say anything, she just clutched her stomach and just hopped he would go away. Ben sighed once he noticed she wouldn't answer and then picked her up. He then gave her hardly no time to stand up before he back handed her and grabbed her arm and threw her chest first into the wall. Ben stood behind her using his body to pin her on the wall. Blood tickled from her lip becuse when she got back handed it busted her lip.   
  
"Tell me Max." he warned behind clenched teeth, getting very upset.  
  
Jace winced but noticed Ben wasn't looking at her way out, she then bolted for it. Ben wrapped his arm around Max's neck and spun around, gun in front of him, Max clutching his arm as he just pulled her closer to him. He then fired a shot. Max froze once she saw Jace hit the floor, not moving.   
  
"Ben! NO!" she screamed at him.   
  
Ben walked up to her, keeping a struggling Max under control. He then shot her 5 more times, making sure she was dead. Max by that time had tears running down her cheeks. Ben let Max go and then jumped up in the air kicking her in the face with his left foot and then delivering a powerful kick to her chest with his right foot before he landed. The force sent Max flying into the wall. Max then found herself hard to breath as she hit the ground on her side. Ben raised an eyebrow at her and the walked over to her, pulling Max making her lie on her back. Ben stepped on foot over her and the hovered over her, raising her shirt, high enough to see her stomach but stopping before it exposed anything. He felt around her rib cage and Max winced as he touched it.   
  
"Seems I might have fractured a bone in your rib cage. Weakling Max couldn't take the kick huh?" ben replied.   
  
Max, mad at his comment, punched him hard in the face. Ben fought to keep his anger in a jabbed his fingers down on the fractured bone. Max withered under his touch, Ben applying great pressure causing a lot of pain.   
  
"Not a smart move, you want many other bones broken, I suggest you keep doing what your doing. But if you don't want to hurt, then I suggest you start listening to me, got it?" he said evily to her.   
  
Max shook her head yes, anything to get him to stop oushing down on the bone. Ben grinned.   
  
"Guess this means were going to have to hold off on our 'fun time' huh?" Ben asked.   
  
Max glared at him.   
  
"That's sick." she told him on the verge of crying all over again.   
  
"It's not sick, it's life Max, our life. Lydecker wants this done so it'll be done." he answered.   
  
"Even with your younger sister?" she asked.   
  
Ben looked at her.   
  
"Whatever makes Lydecker happy. OR we could just do it right now, we're halfway there." Ben said grinning looking at the position they were in and how high Max's shirt was, but NOT exposing anything, just her stomach.   
  
Max closed her eyes as she felt Ben lowering his head to her neck this made her close her eyes even tighter. Suddenly Alec came in and kicked Ben hard in the face off Max. Max's eyes flew open as she saw Alec grinning at her.   
  
"HOW MANY TIMES DO I HAVE TO TELL YOU STUPID PEOPL! MAX IS MY BREEDING PARTNER!" Alec shouted then sent his right fist at Ben who caught it and Alec just brought his knee up into his stomach.   
  
Ben groaned and stumbled back. Alec ducked a punch from Ben and then swipped his feet out from underneath of him. Ben jumped up and looked at Alec who was in front of Max.   
  
"Fine, but I'll get her, and I'm gonna kill you, we'll save this fight for later." ben warned then bolted out the door.   
  
Alec rolled his eyes, not scared then ran up to Max, hitting one knee.   
  
"Are you ok? Did he do anything to you?" Alec asked.   
  
Max shook her head no.   
  
"You came at the right time, but I can't walk he broke a bone on my rib cage, I think." she answered.   
  
Alec eyed her.   
  
"This isn't just some excuse to get me to carry you is it?" Alec asked.   
  
Max grabbed his collar.   
  
"ALEC!" she scolded.   
  
"Right." Alec replied then picked her up and bolted out the door, leaving Jace's body there. 


End file.
